DGCA lunches probe as airlines charge up to Rs 4 lakh for one-way flight to London

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to submit details about the airfares they have been charging for flights between India and the UK as flyers have been complaining that they have to pay up to a whopping Rs 4 lakh for a one-way ticket to London.</p>
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On Saturday, Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Inter-State Council Secretariat, Union Home Ministry, had complained on Twitter that an economy-class ticket on British Airways's Delhi-London flight for August 26 was priced ₹ 3.95 lakh.</p>
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He added that economy-class ticket on Delhi-London flights of Vistara and Air India for August 26 was also priced between ₹ 1.2 lakh and ₹ 2.3 lakh during the time of college admissions in the UK when Indian students were travelling abroad to study.</p>
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Mr Gupta said he has apprised Union Civil Aviation Secretary P S Kharola about the matter.</p>
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A senior official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said on Sunday that the regulator has asked the airlines that operate India-UK flights currently to submit details about their fares.</p>
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While there have been lower and upper limits on all domestic airfares in India since May 25 last year, no such limits have been imposed on international airfares.</p>
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India’s full services carrier Vistara, which operates flights on Delhi-London and Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday: "Pricing is always a function of supply and demand.</p>
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"There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on the India – UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices," the airline said in a statement.</p>
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Only a limited number of international passenger flights are being allowed at present under the reciprocal air bubble arrangements that India has with 28 other countries, including the UK.</p>
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According to industry sources, the one-way fare on the Delhi-London non-stop route of the economy class in August for Vistara is in the range of Rs 1.03 lakh to 1.21 lakh</p>
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British Airways fares are in the range of Rs 12.9 lakh to Rs 14. 7 lakh while the price of Air India tickets start from Rs 1,15,936.</p>