Airlines fly record number of passengers Sunday, outrace govt price band

Govt price cap was effective till July 31 and it was reintroduced Sunday evening, giving airlines time to sell their inventory at competitive prices

As many as 269,713 passengers flew on Sunday: 75 per cent more than what Indian airlines usually carried before the coronavirus last year prompted the government to restrict air travel and set ticket prices.

Airlines carried around 3,50,000 flyers daily this January, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). Airlines operated around 2,065 flights: 65 percent of their capacity before the coronavirus and exactly the regulatory limit.

Industry executives credit Sunday’s numbers to the government’s delaying in announcing a fare band. The price cap--effective till July 31--was reintroduced Sunday evening, giving airlines time to sell their inventory at