Govt directs airlines to cap airfares to Prayagraj for Maha Kumbh

The Civil Aviation Ministry has instructed airlines to ensure that return airfares on the Delhi-Prayagraj route do not exceed Rs 24,000 following a second meeting on January 26 with airlines to address the soaring airfares to Prayagraj during the Maha Kumbh. This comes after complaints of exorbitant ticket prices during the peak pilgrimage season.

The meeting, chaired by Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu, was attended by senior officials, including the Aviation Secretary and the Chief of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). According to government sources, airlines were urged to take action to prevent any unreasonable hike in ticket prices, especially with the surge in demand for the festival.

In response, Air India has announced plans to increase its capacity to Prayagraj. Starting January 28, the airline introduced a special daily service from Mumbai and will add a second daily service from Delhi from February 1. Air India aims to offer more convenient and affordable travel options for passengers heading to the Maha Kumbh.

Meanwhile, IndiGo has reduced airfares by 30-50% across all routes to and from Prayagraj, a move aimed at easing the financial burden on pilgrims traveling to the event.

Significant fare reductions are already being observed on flights to Prayagraj. For round-trip flights from Delhi scheduled between February 3 and 11, fares have dropped drastically to Rs 20,000-30,000, compared to the Rs 40,000-60,000 range observed earlier in the week. However, ticket prices for flights from cities like Mumbai and Ahmedabad remain high, ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 and Rs 31,000 to Rs 70,000, respectively.

The government has also directed airlines to ensure their travel booking partners do not take advantage of the high demand by inflating ticket prices. As the festival continues to draw large crowds, it remains to be seen if further interventions will lead to even lower fares across all routes.