The Centre has extended the applicability time period of fare bands within which the airlines have to operate till February 24, 2021. The decision was taken by the Ministry of Civil Aviation. These fare bands came into force with effect from May 21, 2020.
Earlier, Union Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri had said the applicability of fixed minimum and maximum air fare structure for the dometic sector will be extended till February.
At a press conference that time, he had said the fare struicture will be extended by another three months till February 2021. Under the fare structure, air routes are divided into seven sections based on travel time. Each section has its minimum and maximum fares. Accordingly, Delhi-Mumbai ticket price has been fixed at Rs 3,500-Rs 10,000.
Besides, the ministry said in a statement on Thursday: "The daily passenger traffic has reached 2.05 lakh on November 1, 2020. When the domestic aviation reopened in May, the airlines were enabled to fly up to 33 per cent of the normal capacity.
"At that time, the average daily traffic was about 30,000. This cap was enhanced to 45 per cent w.e.f. June 26, 2020. This cap was further revised to 60 per cent w.e.f. September 2, 2020."
At present the airlines can operate up to 60% of their capacity.
"The Ministry of Civil Aviation is monitoring the traffic everyday, and it is expected that the traffic would further pick up because of the festival season and as the passenger traffic increases, the upper cap would be revised to 70-75 per cent of normal capacity in the coming days," the ministry said.
On Thursday, Minister Hardeep Puri said that the Vande Bharat Mission has so far facilitated the repatriation and international travel of more than 29.23 lakh stranded people.