Aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to submit details about the fares they have been charging for India-UK flights during August, a senior official said on Sunday.

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 Rs 3.95 lakh.

He added that economy-class ticket on Delhi-London flights of Vistara and Air India for August 26 was also priced between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.3 lakh amid the college admission time in the UK. Gupta said he has “alerted” Union civil aviation secretary P. S. Kharola about this matter.

A senior official of the directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) said on Sunday that the regulator has asked the airlines that operate India-aviation companies with UK flights to submit details about their fares.

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.

Vistara, which at present operates flights on the Delhi-London as wells Mumbai-London route, said on Sunday: “Pricing is always a function of supply and demand.

“There are only 15 flights a week allowed currently on India-UK route for Indian carriers and when there is relaxation and more capacity allowed, it will automatically bring down prices.”

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 last year amid the coronavirus pandemic.

However, limited special international passenger flights have been operating since July 2020 under the air bubble arrangements formed with 28 countries, including the UK.

High demand

Average economy-class fares on international flights operating on key routes connecting India have risen significantly during the last one month due to high demand, according to data from EaseMyTrip.com.

“Recently, a large number of countries have eased their travel restrictions for Indian citizens, which has steadily increased demand for travel as there is a huge pent-up travel demand,” said Nishant Pitti, CEO and co-founder of EaseMyTrip.com.