Too little, too late: Govt reimposes fare caps as ticket prices defy gravity during IndiGo crisis

NEW DELHI: Govt on Saturday reimposed airfare caps — for the first time after Covid — as the IndiGo crisis has sent ticket prices defying gravity on other airlines. The aviation ministry says it has “ taken a serious note of unusually high airfares being charged by certain airlines during the ongoing disruption” and that it has “invoked its regulatory powers to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes” to “protect passengers from any form of opportunistic pricing. ” These caps will be in force till IndiGo operations are back to pre-crisis levels, something expected by Dec 15 now as govt has kept new flight duty norms for pilots — that are meant to improve flight safety — on hold to enable the airline to get back on its feet. This development may have come way too la