The Indian government has asked major airlines, including IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet and Akasa, to submit data on average airfares charged during early December, as authorities investigate severe travel disruptions that affected thousands of passengers across the country. The move comes amid concerns over sharp fare increases during a period of widespread flight cancellations.
The request follows unprecedented disruptions in December, largely triggered by pilot shortages at IndiGo, which holds about 65% of India’s domestic aviation market. The airline was forced to cancel around 4,500 flights in a single month, leading to large-scale passenger inconvenience and disruption of air travel nationwide.
During the crisis, fares on certain routes reportedly surged, prompting the government to step in and impose temporary caps to protect passengers. These price spikes raised questions about pricing practices during emergencies, especially when travellers had limited alternatives due to mass cancellations.
India’s competition watchdog, the Competition Commission of India, said in December that it was proceeding against IndiGo to assess whether the airline had abused its dominant market position. IndiGo has not publicly commented on the investigation so far, while the scrutiny has intensified regulatory oversight of fare behaviour.
According to a government email dated January 1, reviewed by Reuters, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked airlines to provide route-wise average fares for economy and premium economy seats for the period between December 1 and 15. The data request applies to all routes operated by the airlines during that time.
Officials said the information was sought at the request of the competition regulator, as it could help assess whether pricing during the disruption period violated competition norms. While Akasa declined to comment and other airlines did not respond, the development signals closer monitoring of airline pricing practices during operational crises.
