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Parl panel raises concerns over high airfares

By · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Chaired by BJP member Baijayant Panda, the parliamentary panel questioned airline executives about the drivers behind elevated ticket prices. In response, carriers cited severe financial strain, pointing out that IndiGo lost Rs 1,879.1 crore in the recent September quarter while Air India's losses nearly doubled in 2025-26. Additionally, the committee met with civil aviation security and accident investigation chiefs earlier that day to review aircraft safety protocols and international standards.

Key points

  • Lawmakers are examining airline fare structures as carriers struggle to balance operation…: Lawmakers are examining airline fare structures as carriers struggle to balance operational costs with consumer affordability.
  • Airlines attribute higher ticket prices to unavoidable external expenses, particularly ex…: Airlines attribute higher ticket prices to unavoidable external expenses, particularly expensive jet fuel and currency headwinds.
  • The parliamentary committee is balancing economic reviews of carriers with broader assess…: The parliamentary committee is balancing economic reviews of carriers with broader assessments of aviation security and accident investigation standards.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

New Delhi: A parliamentary panel on Monday raised concern over the rising airfares during a meeting with senior officials of IndiGo and Air India, who told the members that surging jet fuel costs and Pakistan airspace closure were pushing their operational costs higher, according to a source.

The issues were discussed during a meeting of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings, chaired by BJP member Baijayant Panda.

The panel members met the airlines' officials in the second half of Monday, after a meeting with the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) earlier in the day.

During the meeting with directors general of BCAS and AAIB, measures being taken to adopt global aviation practices in India and aircraft security were among the topics discussed, the source said.

During the meeting with the representatives of the two airlines, some panel members flagged concerns about the high airfares.

In response, the officials of IndiGo and Air India talked about the rising Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices impacting their operational costs, the source said.

IndiGo, the…

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