It is deliberate and blatant neglect: AASU Exorbitant airfares

Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI: Airfares from Guwahati to other destinations in the metropolitan cities in the country start from Rs 25,000. The All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) said that this is a ‘deliberate and blatant neglect’. The students’ body urged the DGCA (Director General of Civil Aviation) and the MoCA (Ministry of Civil Aviation) to intervene in the matter urgently.

AASU’s chief adviser Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharjya said, “People from the Northeast are the worst affected ones. With IndiGo’s ongoing disruptions and almost no alternatives, the travellers from the Northeast are being coerced into paying exploitative prices. Airfares from Guwahati to major metros and other key routes have spiralled to Rs 25,000-48,000 for basic economy, even on regular travel days.”

Bhattacharjya further said, “Flights are cancelled without warnings, passengers remain stranded and accountability is nowhere to be found. This is not mismanagement. This is a deliberate and blatant neglect. Such a situation is totally unacceptable. Urgent intervention is needed from the DGCA and MoCA to restore fair pricing and accountability in air travel.”

On the other hand, the MoCA has taken a serious note of concern regarding the unusually high airfares being charged by certain airlines. The ministry has invoked its regulatory power to ensure fair and reasonable fares across all affected routes. An official directive has been issued to all airlines mandating strict adherence to the fare caps that have been prescribed now. These caps will remain in force until the situation fully stabilizes. The objective of this directive is to maintain pricing discipline in the market, prevent any exploitation of passengers in distress and ensure that citizens who urgently need to travel are not subjected to financial hardship during this period.

Also Read: India Caps Domestic Airfares to Curb Price Surge Amid IndiGo Disruptions