Asserting that the situation in Kuwait was "absolutely normal" despite the ongoing US-led war in Iraq, civil aviation secretary K Roy Paul hinted on Wednesday a reduction in fares of flights from and to India as the initial increase in passenger demand had declined.

"We are now back to the normal fares. They had earlier been raised by Rs 3,000 as the aircraft were going empty to pick up Indians wanting to return to the country. It was only for a short period," Roy Paul, who returned from Kuwait Tuesday night after a three-day visit to review the aviation arrangements, told reporters in New Delhi.

He said the war would "not lead to any increase in fares" as it is centered in Iraq and alternate flight-paths had been worked out.

Asked about the possibility of reduction in fares to Kuwait ex-India, he said, "Now the market forces will decide (fares) ... obviously Kuwait Airways takes the lead as the fares are decided by Kuwait."

In any case, the ex-India fares to Kuwait were lower than those offered by Kuwait Airways or other Gulf operators like Emirates or Gulf Air.

"While a Kuwait Airways one-way ticket cost 128 dinars, Indian carriers charged only 110."

Replying to questions on the situation in Kuwait, he said, "Far from an exodus, people are coming and cancelling their tickets. Only normal traffic is operating now."

Roy Paul said the initial rush when the war was declared by the US was due to the fact that some foreign firms, where Indians were working, had closed down and the summer vacations had just begun.

Some additional flights were operated by Air-India and Indian Airlines to cater to this demand, "which now ended and you can find a number of vacancies in each flight".  

Regarding the contingency plans for evacuating Indians from Kuwait, he said, "It will be implemented only if normal life is disrupted in Kuwait. We are not anticipating such a situation now. But when required, we will not be found wanting." There are about 370,000 Indians residing in Kuwait.

Asked about the effect of war on the profitability of Air-India and Indian Airlines, he said there would be "no major impact" as even the traffic from Kuwait had come down.

To questions on re-routing of flights to avoid the war zone, he said the earlier assessment of 60-90 minute diversion was no longer valid now and the planes were making "short detours".

Thanking the Kuwaiti authorities for their cooperation, he said they had decided not to close down Kuwait airport and the airspace.

The two Indian carriers were also operating normal schedules, he said. While Air-India has six flights a week to the Gulf city-state, Indian Airlines operates 16 flights.