Airlines' flight cancellations may spike March fares

The Ministry of Civil Aviation stated that it had to compel Mumbai Airport to reduce flights. The reason behind this action was the airport's allocation of excessive slots, causing congestion. This situation resulted in aircraft hovering above the airport for up to 60 minutes. The Ministry explained that an airport slot is a designated time for aircraft takeoff or landing. It was mentioned that the airport operator failed to take measures to organize and regulate air traffic movements. The Ministry of Civil Aviation acknowledged the necessity for government intervention to strike a balance between the needs of airport operators and airlines. The aim is to ensure a satisfying experience for passengers flying from Mumbai Airport. Following criticism from passengers, the government clarified its decision. Passengers expressed concerns that such actions would lead to an increase in airfares on various routes. In response to the directive from the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to ease runway congestion, airlines are preparing to cancel hundreds of flights until March 30. This reduction in flights will result in approximately 40 flights being cut from the middle of this week. The curfew on the operation of business jets at the airport faced an extension from four to eight hours, sparking protests from major corporate entities like Reliance, JSW, and the Mahindra group. Mumbai Airport, with a single runway, handles more flights than any other airport. In December, it recorded its highest monthly traffic of 4.88 million passengers. Akasa Air announced the cancellation of two flights daily until the end of the next month.