The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday urged airline operators to consider waiving cancellation and rescheduling charges for passengers wanting to return home from Kashmir following the terrorist attack in Pahalgam that killed 26, most of them tourists, on Tuesday.
The aviation watchdog also advised airlines to increase the number of flights and ensure uninterrupted connectivity from Srinagar to various destinations across India, “facilitating evacuation of stranded tourists”.
“The airlines are requested to consider waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees and provide all necessary assistance to tourists facing unexpected circumstances and challenges during this difficult time,” the DGCA said in its advisory.
The development follows social media outrage over a surge in airfares in the aftermath of the attack. Tourists complained that they were being charged between ₹33,000 and ₹37,000 for flights out of Srinagar, several times higher than the normal rates.
Civil aviation minister K. Rammohan Naidu held an urgent meeting with the airline operators on Wednesday and directed them to monitor and keep fares at reasonable levels.
After the terror attack in Pahalgam, many people took to social media and shared screenshots of exorbitant airfares from Srinagar to other places.
An X user claimed that private airlines were charging three times the regular fare from “panic-stricken” tourists from Srinagar. Another user termed the hike in fare “inhuman” and accused the airlines of “taking advantage” of the situation. Some accused the government of “inaction”.
In a post on X, Air India said: “Fares on Air India flights from Srinagar to Mumbai and Delhi have been capped to ensure affordability. Any high fares shown on booking sites may be due to multi-stop routes or higher cabin classes, offering a mix of direct and indirect options.”
Naidu said IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet were operating seven extra flights from Srinagar in addition to their scheduled services.
The three airlines, along with Air India Express, have waived cancellation fees or rescheduling charges for flights from or to Srinagar until April 30. Air India and IndiGo have also announced two additional flights each from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai.
Naidu said as many as 3,337 passengers flew out of Srinagar in 20 flights between 6am and 12pm on Wednesday.