Airlines waive cancellation and rescheduling fees and boost flight capacity from Srinagar.

IMAGE: An Indigo aircraft arrives at the Srinagar airport. Photograph: Adnan Abidi/Reuters

Airfares from Srinagar have seen a “notable reduction” in the past two days, with a Srinagar–Delhi flight falling from over Rs 20,000 to under Rs 10,000, following swift government action to curb prices, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) said on Thursday.

In the wake of the terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which claimed the lives of 26 people, most of them tourists, civil aviation minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu directed airlines to ensure safe transit for stranded travellers and take immediate steps to control soaring airfares. The minister also asked carriers to increase flight frequencies to and from Srinagar.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also issued urgent advisories to all airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs), calling for seamless connectivity from Srinagar to destinations across India, clear and transparent fare displays, and on-ground assistance to affected passengers.

Airlines responded by waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and boosting flight capacity from Srinagar.

“As a result of these interventions, a notable reduction in airfares from Srinagar has been observed over two days,” the ministry said.

“For instance, a flight from Srinagar to Delhi, which was priced over Rs 20,000 on April 21, has decreased to a more accessible fare, falling below Rs 10,000 by April 24,” it added.

IMAGE: The Srinagar airport. Photograph: ANI Photo

Despite this improvement, complaints have continued to surface on social media regarding high fares.

MoCA clarified that many such grievances are related to business or premium-class tickets or involve indirect routes with one or more stopovers — both of which tend to be priced higher than direct economy fares.

“It is essential to acknowledge that the Ministry of Civil Aviation is consistently monitoring fares being charged by airlines, and remains steadfast in its commitment to protecting passengers,” the statement said. “The ministry is striving to ensure that no airline exploits this challenging period by engaging in practices of profiteering.”

The ministry also cautioned passengers against misinterpretation of fares displayed on travel portals, noting that in some cases, business-class prices appear alongside economy-class options or are shown when economy seats are sold out, creating confusion.

An advisory has been issued to all airlines to clearly segregate fares by class–economy, premium economy, and business.

Airlines have also been asked to respond to individual posts on social media to explain pricing and routing structures.

Passengers have been encouraged to use official airline websites or trusted OTAs and apply filters such as “low to high” when searching for flights.

“By effectively utilising the filter options available on these platforms, passengers can streamline their search… thereby enhancing their travel experience,” the ministry said.

The government said it will continue to keep a close watch on fare trends and take corrective steps wherever needed to ensure affordability and accessibility for passengers during this sensitive time.

Feature Presentation: Rajesh Alva/Rediff