The Monopolies and Restrictive Trade Practices Commission (MRTPC) has ordered an investigation probe into the sudden air fare rise by all airlines on February 9.
The decision comes soon after strong statements by Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel yesterday against possible cartelisation after which the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) wrote to airlines asking for details of the increases, which more than doubled base fares. Soon after, Mumbai-based full service carrier Jet Airways re-introduced its special fares of Re 1-300.
Government sources said the airlines were supposed to submit the details by February 14.
Apart from the private airlines like Jet Airways and Kingfisher, the MRTPC probe will include national carrier Air India. Patel had defended the national carrier, saying it would not be part of any such cartel and that its fares would be significantly lower than those of Jet and Kingfisher.
Although airline executives strongly denied it, industry sources said the price rise was unanimously decided in a meeting of their lobbying body, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), last week.
