"...costs a kidney these days": Skyrocketing airfare dampens tourism spirit in Kashmir

A return ticket on the Delhi-Srinagar sector costs around Rs 22,000 to Rs 27,000 these days, more than double what used to be a few months ago. The escalating airfare to Kashmir has sparked concern among individuals associated with the tourism industry.

Srinagar (Jammu and Kashmir): Skyrocketing airfare has hit the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir with a return ticket from Delhi to Srinagar costing more than a return ticket from Delhi to Dubai.

Shuja ul Haq, a senior journalist from the valley Thursday took to Twitter to highlight the exorbitant prices in a terse tweet in which he said airfare to Kashmir "costs a kidney". "Airfare to Kashmir costs a kidney these days. Wonder why?" Haq wrote.

A return ticket on the Delhi-Srinagar sector costs around Rs 22,000 to Rs 27,000 these days, more than double what used to be a few months ago. The escalating airfare to Kashmir has sparked concern among individuals associated with the tourism industry. They are calling for the government's attention to address the unjustifiable pricing policies implemented by various airlines.

In the previous year, an average of 100 flights operated daily between Srinagar and other destinations. The airfare for the Srinagar-Delhi route ranged from Rs 4000 to Rs 5500. However, this year, airlines have reduced the number of flights on the Srinagar circuit to 70, resulting in a substantial increase in the average airfare from Rs 10,000 to Rs 15000 (one way) for the same route.

The repercussions of exorbitant airfares are not limited to tourism industry stakeholders alone. Students and individuals in urgent need of medical attention, who must travel outside the valley, have also been adversely affected by these skyrocketing prices.

Earlier this year, a parliamentary panel urged the civil aviation ministry to implement a system that sets upper and lower limits on airfares. The committee emphasized the importance of preventing airlines from engaging in predatory pricing practices. It noted that in regions such as the northeastern states, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh, the prices of domestic flight tickets sometimes exceed those of international flights.

Compared to last year, airline operations have reduced significantly on certain routes, leading to a considerable spike in prices. The budget airline Go First suspended all flights last month due to bankruptcy and has extended flight cancellations till June 4th, causing the price to increase on the main connections they used to operate in, including Srinagar.