Centre skips festive airfare cap, asks airlines to keep fares reasonable

The government will not impose a festive-season ceiling on airfares, instead urging carriers including IndiGo and Air India to moderate pricing as higher jet-fuel costs pressure ticket rates. A proposed Rs 10,000 crore fund aims to stabilise ATF prices for scheduled airlines over three years.

— Source publishedTue, 22 Sept, 2026, 15:58 IST·First seen Tue, 22 Sept, 2026, 16:56 IST·Source Indian Express · Business

What happened

Government of India · The Centre will not cap festive-season airfares but will urge airlines to maintain reasonable prices. Higher ATF costs linked to the West

Key facts

  • ATF accounts for 40-43% of airfares
  • Rs 10,000 crore price stabilisation fund
  • IndiGo fuel surcharge: Rs 275-Rs 950
  • Delhi ATF peak: Rs 2.07 lakh per kilolitre
  • ATF prices to be stabilised for 3 years

Why this matters

Airline and travel-platform deal teams should monitor ATF-fund design and fare-policy scrutiny, as lower fuel volatility could improve the economics of capacity, loyalty, and distribution partnerships.