Today a warning was extended to private airlines, which are hiking their airfares by forming cartels, by Union Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel who announced that strict action would be taken against those indulging in such activities.

Mr. Patel said, "As far as raising airfares is concerned, they are outside the domain of the government as airfares are fixed by market forces."

Patel, who actually had arrived to lay the foundation stone of the integrated terminal building of Devi Ahilyabi Airport, said that in order people benefit from competition among airlines and to ensure the development of air services, the issue of airfares was kept outside the government's domain.

Patel continued, "But an inquiry has been ordered into the recent sudden hike in airfares by private carriers and the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has also written to airlines concerned on the issues."

When asked, whether Air India was part of such activities too, Mr. Patel denied saying that the National Carrier has no involvement in this case.