Srinagar: For the past two weeks, Kashmir's Sheikh-Ul-Alam International Airport here has seen a massive influx of travellers from all across the country and abroad. This comes at a time when Kashmir is moving into the winter season from the autumn season.
The airport handled at least 772 flights and served 1,21,103 passengers between November 10 and November 21, the airport authority said in a statement.
On Wednesday, at least 11,216 people flew on 72 flights, while the airport saw 10,712 passengers on 70 flights on November 21 alone, it said.
“The daily traffic has remained consistently high since November 10, with around 10,000 passengers flying in and out of Srinagar daily,” the statement said, adding that a notable air traffic spike was seen in November so far.
On November 10, 9,856 people boarded 60 flights at Srinagar Airport, while 68 planes carried 10,538 passengers on November 13. On November 14, the airport handled 10,784 passengers who arrived or left on 68 planes.
Similarly, 66 planes took off or landed at Srinagar Airport on November 15, serving 10,858 passengers.
Peak inflow was witnessed on November 16 and 19, with 12,072 people flying on 72 flights and 11,055 on 70 flights, respectively.
On November 17, it had reduced to 7,755 people arriving and departing on 44 aircraft from the airport. The next day, there was another increase, with 11,585 passengers on 70 flights.
Meanwhile, airfare to and from Srinagar remains reasonable as, according to travel portals, one-way tickets from New Delhi to Srinagar cost roughly Rs 5,000, with return tickets costing over Rs 7,000. Tariffs from Hyderabad for a direct flight to Srinagar are around Rs 6,800, with a return cost of around Rs 9,800.
Feroz Ahmed, a manager with a Gurgaon-based airline, believes that the spike in visitors is mostly due to Kashmir's breathtaking landscapes, which are now starting to show the first signs of winter snow. “People are excited for the autumn colours and the chilly winter weather of the Valley," he said.
“We are gearing up for even more travellers. We used to have four flights a day, but now we've increased it to six,” he said.
Local tourism players attributed the increased arrival of travellers to Kashmir’s growing popularity, especially during the winter.
“Kashmir, with its snow-capped mountains and serene landscapes, beckons many during the winter months,” said local tour operator Musaib Altaf. "The warm hospitality and snow-filled experiences make it an ideal winter destination.”
For some visitors, it's the autumn beauty, while others come for the iconic winter experiences offered by places like Gulmarg, Sonamarg, and Pahalgam. "The weather here is such a nice break from the smog back home. We’ve been looking forward to the snowfall in Kashmir for years. This time around, I got the chance to come here today and will head back on Sunday,” said Ravi Kumar, a tourist from Delhi.
Meanwhile, temperatures in Kashmir have dropped, with Srinagar registering a low of -1.2°C, Gulmarg at -0.6°C, Sonamarg at -1.3°C, and Pahalgam dipping to -2.3°C.
