Airfare hike hits tourism

Steep rise in airfares is "affecting the overall tourism" in the country and domestic airlines need to do much more to bring the cost down, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said here on Monday.

Steep rise in airfares is "affecting the overall tourism" in the country and domestic airlines need to do much more to bring the cost down, civil aviation minister Praful Patel said here on Monday.

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After the first meeting of the newly formed Civil Aviation Economic Advisory Council (CAEAC), Patel made it clear that his Ministry would not remain a mute spectator to the price hike.

"This (jump in airfares) is affecting the overall tourism in the country ... We don't dispute that spot fares would be more than advance bookings but are not fully happy with the action taken by airlines (to bring the fares down)," he said.

Patel announced the formation of a small working group consisting of representatives of airlines, passenger associations and other stakeholders, to recommend measures to "ensure transparency" in fixing of airfares, keeping the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directives in mind.