New Delhi: Aviation regulator DGCA is likely to ask airlines to give priority to passengers who were booked on flights cancelled earlier by cash-strapped SpiceJet — if any seats are vacant before the flight departure.Meanwhile, SpiceJet said on Friday “that it is continuing to operate its full schedule of flights”. The airline had returned to normal operation of its truncated flight schedule on Thursday.
SpiceJet on Friday said fares, which had risen very high, too are now “coming back to more normal levels” and that it is operating extra flights to destinations such as Goa and Port Blair to clear the backlog.The DGCA is expected to ask the other airlines “to charge reasonable fares” from these passengers, sources said, even as the aviation regulator is monitoring the situation to ensure there is no over-charging of fares by the other airlines.
Sources said it is unlikely that airlines can charge the same fares paid earlier by the passengers to SpiceJet since many of SpiceJet’s tickets were sold at heavily discounted prices months in advance.Meanwhile, the civil avi-ation ministry will ask the DGCA to take stern measures against any overcharging of passengers in high spot fares in the wake of the Spicejet crisis.
The ministry has meanwhile told Spicejet that it should have at least '200 crore in its bank account by December 31 to indicate that it is serious about getting an investor on their board.
