Covid-19 crisis: Govt considers regulating air-ticket prices after lockdown

The govt's move has divided the industry with executives of airlines and experts suggesting that government's intervention in pricing will be counterproductive

The government is considering temporarily setting caps and floors on airfares once air transport resumes after the lockdown, in a bid to “protect both consumers and airlines”, officials aware of the matter said. The civil aviation ministry, which has started discussions on the process, feels that it is important to ensure tickets don’t become very expensive, and to prevent predatory pricing from hurting the financial viability of airlines.
 

The move if implemented, will be a temporary measure to protect both consumers and airlines, said officials aware of the matter.

A section of airline executives and experts, however, warned that any intervention