Srinagar airport handled 110 flights, over 14,000 passengers on Thursday; airfares reduced notably: Govt

Srinagar airport handled 110 flights, over 14,000 passengers on Thursday; airfares reduced notably: Govt

To bring back stranded tourists from J&K, the civil aviation ministry said 110 flights, including eight additional services, were operated connecting Srinagar airport, which handled more than 14,000 passengers on Thursday and highlighted that airfares on the route have reduced notably in two days.

Amid many people expressing concerns over high airfares, the ministry said for connecting flights, airlines typically implement a fare structure that aggregates the costs of each individual segment of the journey and also that in certain cases, economy class and business class ticket prices get intermingled.

In the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack in which at least 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed on Tuesday, a large number of tourists have been returning from J&K. To facilitate their travel, airlines are operating additional flights and the ministry is monitoring air ticket prices to ensure there is no spike.

Official data showed that Srinagar airport had 57 flight arrivals and 53 flight departures, handling a total of 14,197 passengers from 6 am to 8 pm on Thursday.

The ministry said airlines have waived cancellation and rescheduling fees, and have increased flight capacities connecting Srinagar.

"A notable reduction in airfares from Srinagar has been observed over two days. For instance, a flight from Srinagar to Delhi, which was priced over Rs 20,000 on April 21, 2025 has decreased to a more accessible fare, falling below Rs 10,000 by April 24, 2025," it said in a public notice.

Referring to social media posts about Srinagar airfares being high, the ministry said many of these posts are showing indirect tickets, which are either one/multiple stop, or, tickets issued under business/premium classes which by their nature are priced higher than economy class tickets.

"Observations on various social media platforms indicate that many grievances stem from issues related to connecting flights. For such flights, airlines typically implement a fare structure that aggregates the costs of each individual segment of the journey.

"Consequently, rather than providing a singular flat rate for the entire trip, airlines impose a cumulative pricing model that reflects the fares associated with each leg of the journey," the notice said.

Further, the ministry said when economy class seats are fully booked, the displayed fares automatically transition to business class, thereby creating a misleading impression of inflated prices.

"Passengers are encouraged to ensure that they receive accurate fare information, distinctly categorised for economy, premium economy, and business class."