close_game
close_game

DGCA advises airlines to add more flights for Prayagraj to rationalise fares

Jan 27, 2025 09:29 PM IST

DGCA said that it has approved 81 additional flights in January, raising Prayagraj connectivity to 132 flights from across India

New Delhi: More flights are being made available for Prayagraj to meet the increased demand for air travel and to rationalise airfares during the Mahakumbh, especially during the festival’s peak days, Union civil aviation ministry said on Monday.

Prayagraj airport is now connected directly with 17 cities across India as against eight cities in December 2024. (File Photo)
Prayagraj airport is now connected directly with 17 cities across India as against eight cities in December 2024. (File Photo)

The ministry, in a statement, said that as per directions of aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu to ensure airfares remain in check, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised airlines companies to ensure sufficient capacity to accommodate devotees and tourists.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), DGCA said that it has approved 81 additional flights in January, raising Prayagraj connectivity to 132 flights from across India.

“The addition of these flights is expected to ease the pressure on airfares and improve overall accessibility for devotees and tourists,” the statement from the ministry said.

The statements come amid reports of a surge in airfares to Prayagraj during the Mahakumbh.

Ajay Prakash, owner of Nomad Travels and President of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), said, “The demand for Prayagraj is such that if one books a non-stop flight from Mumbai to Prayagraj for any date in February, one will have to pay 30,000 one way.”

Anuj Rathi, chief business and growth officer of Cleartrip ,said that airfares to Prayagraj have seen a significant rise of 107%.. pillover effect can be seen in destinations like Varanasi, where there is a spike of 1x compared to the same period last year.”

“The highest airfares to Prayagraj were recorded on routes from Jaipur, Bengaluru, Nagpur, Kochi, and Mumbai,” Rathi said.

Earlier, Rajesh Magow, co-founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, one of the leading platforms used to book tickets, said that searches for Prayagraj on MakeMyTrip surged by an extraordinary 23 times and year-on-year as devotees from across India plan their journey to Maha Kumbh.

“Travel demand is particularly high during the event’s opening and closing week. As devotees seek immersive experiences closer to the heart of the Maha Kumbh, tent accommodations have witnessed strong demand.”

DGCA said it had conducted a meeting on Thursday in view of the likely surge in airfares.

The regulator’s X post said, “In view of the likely surge in demand, DG (CA) met airlines on 23 January 2025 and urged them to increase further capacity by adding flights and rationalize fares.”

“To meet increased demand for air travel to Prayag Raj during Mahakumbh, DGCA has approved 81 additional flights in January, raising Prayagraj connectivity to 132 flights from across India,” it added.

Officials from the aviation ministry said that minister Ram Mohan Naidu had conducted an internal meeting to discuss the issue of airfares before leaving for Davios to be a part of the World Economy Forum (WEF).

To be sure, airfares are not subject to regulation by the government and airlines have the flexibility to determine their airfares based on their operational needs, while adhering to Rule 135 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.

Minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol had told the Rajya Sabha that while the government generally refrains from regulating airfares to maintain market competitiveness, it, however, remains vigilant, and intervenes to shift capacity from one sector to another to prevent exorbitant pricing to ensure passenger comfort and welfare.

“During Maha Kumbh, the (Prayagraj) airport witnessed 30,172 passengers and operated 226 flights in just one week, surpassing 5,000 passengers in a single day for the first time. Night flights were also introduced, enabling 24/7 connectivity for the first time in 106 years,” the ministry said.

The government had expanded the Prayagraj airport. Presently, Prayagraj is connected directly with 17 cities across India as against eight cities in December 2024. With direct and connecting flights reaching 26 cities, including Srinagar and Visakhapatnam, Prayagraj was made a hub for keeping in mind the Maha Kumbh.

“Uttar Pradesh saw an immense rise in tourism with 33 crore visitors in 2024, and hosting 100 billion visitors as of 23rd January, 2025 for Mahakumbh,” Rikant Pittie, CEO & co-founder of EaseMyTripa said.

“Overall, 2,500 crore is expected to be generated from hospitality and 300-350 crore from travel,” he added.

rec-icon Recommended Topics
Share this article
Get Current Updates on India News, Weather Today, Latest News, Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Exit Poll 2025 Live at Hindustan Times.
See More
Get Current Updates on India News, Weather Today, Latest News, Delhi Election 2025 and Delhi Exit Poll 2025 Live at Hindustan Times.
SHARE THIS ARTICLE ON
SHARE
Story Saved
Live Score
Saved Articles
Following
My Reads
Sign out
New Delhi 0C
Sunday, February 09, 2025
Start 14 Days Free Trial Subscribe Now
Follow Us On