*Airlines operate 59 flights from Srinagar; govt says airfares kept at reasonable levels*

New Delhi, Apr 24: Airlines on Wednesday operated 59 flights from Srinagar, including seven additional services, to ferry tourists and bodies of 25 Pahalgam terror attack vicitms to their destinations along with 123 accompanying family members.

The Civil Aviation Ministry said air ticket prices on the route were being kept at reasonable levels amid a large number of tourists looking to return from Jammu and Kashmir in the aftermath of the terror attack, the deadliest in the Valley since the 2019 Pulwama incident.

At least 26 people, mostly tourists, died in the Pahalgam bloodbath on Tuesday.

A senior ministry official said 52 scheduled and seven additional flights were operated from the Srinagar airport on Wednesday to clear the rush of stranded passengers. Twenty-five bodies were sent to their destinations by flights along with 123 accompanying family members, the official said.

As many as 3,337 passengers flew out of Srinagar in 20 flights between 6 am and 12 pm on Wednesday. IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet operated seven flights in addition to their scheduled services.

Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said on Wednesday that airline companies have been strictly instructed to avoid any fare surge. They have been told that charges were being monitored to keep those reasonable, he said.

His comments came against the backdrop of some websites apparently showing ticket prices of over Rs 50,000 for flights to Srinagar.

The country’s largest airline IndiGo said that in view of the emergent situation, it has taken steps to keep the fares moderate.

Air India said fares for its 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,” the airline said in a post on X.

The minister also emphasised that efforts were being made to ensure safe travel of tourists from Srinagar. Naidu said that all airlines operating from Srinagar have waived cancellation and rescheduling charges to support passengers.

At the Srinagar airport, a control room has been set up to help passengers with their journey.

The senior ministry official said a flat tent was set up alongside the two canopies on the city side of the airport with adequate seating arrangements for the passengers. Food was served to more than 1,200 waiting passengers along with a regular helping of tea, cookies and snacks, the official added.

Earlier in the day, Minister Naidu, in a post on X, said that in addition to the four extra flights already announced, three more flights to Delhi will be operated — two by IndiGo and the other by SpiceJet.

The minister also said that he was personally monitoring the situation and was in constant touch with the home ministry as well as airline operators.

In an advisory on Wednesday, DGCA said that in the aftermath of the terror incident in Pahalgam, there was an unexpected demand for tickets from tourists seeking to return home.

“In this regard, the airlines are advised to take swift action to increase the number of flights in response to heightened demand and also to ensure uninterrupted connectivity from Srinagar to various destinations across India, facilitating the evacuation of stranded tourists,” it said.

According to the advisory, airlines have also been asked to provide all necessary assistance to tourists facing unexpected circumstances and challenges during this difficult time.

IndiGo said that to support those travelling in and out of Srinagar, it was offering a waiver of cancellation fees or rescheduling charges.

“IndiGo has added special flights to Srinagar from Delhi and Mumbai with immediate effect and will be operating these over and above the regular schedule of 160 weekly flights from/to Srinagar from various parts of India,” the airline, which operates 20 flights daily connecting Srinagar with various Indian cities, said in a statement.

Air India is operating one additional flight each from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai. It operates five daily flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Srinagar.

The airline is also offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations to passengers with confirmed bookings till April 30 on these sectors, according to a post on X.

SpiceJet, in a post on X, said it was operating an additional flight and also extending waivers on rescheduling and cancellations for Srinagar flights till April 30. It will be applicable for bookings made on or before April 22.

Akasa Air also took to the social media platform to say that the passengers who wish to cancel their bookings will be provided with a full refund at no additional charge for all flights in and out of Srinagar between April 23 and 29.

“Guests booked to travel on Air India Express flights from or to Srinagar until April 30, 2025, are being offered the flexibility to reschedule their travel with a complete waiver of date change fees and fare difference,” the airline said in a post on X.

According to it, passengers may also opt to cancel their bookings and receive a full refund to their original mode of payment.

Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI) President and Nomad Travels CEO Ajay Prakash said in the short term, tourism in Jammu and Kashmir will take a significant hit due to the attack.

“As TAFI, we pledge to support tourism in J and K and we are confident that it will recover very quickly,” he added.–