Flight tickets dearer

New Delhi: The Civil Aviation Ministry in an official order has raised the lower as well as upper caps on domestic fares by 9.83% to 12.82%. The Ministry in an order on Thursday night increased the lower limit for flights under 40 minutes of duration from Rs 2,600 to Rs 2,900 -- an increase of 11.53%.

It has also increased the upper cap for flights under 40 minutes of duration was increased by 12.82 percent to Rs 8,800.

The government first imposed the lower and upper limits on May 25 last year after the resumption of flights post-two-month nationwide lockdown due to Covid-19.

The lower caps were imposed to help the airlines that have been struggling financially due to coronavirus-related travel restrictions. The upper caps were imposed so that passengers are not charged huge amounts when the demand for seats is high.

Similarly, flights with duration between 40-60 minutes have a lower limit of Rs 3,700 instead of Rs 3,300 now, the order said. The upper cap on these flights was increased by 12.24 percent to Rs 11,000.

The flights with duration between 60-90 minutes have a lower limit of Rs 4,500 -- an increase of 12.5 percent. The upper cap on these flights was increased by 12.82 percent to Rs 13,200. Now, domestic flights of duration between 90-120, 120-150, 150-180 and 180-210 minutes have lower caps of Rs 5,300, Rs 6,700, Rs 8,300 and Rs 9,800, respectively, as per the ministry's order.