Airlines seek govt support to revive air travel demand to Kashmir
New Delhi: The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing major Indian carriers, including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, has requested the government to provide immediate support to revive air travel demand to and from Srinagar airport.
In a letter addressed to Samir Kumar Sinha, the secretary of the civil aviation ministry, the FIA highlighted the sharp decline in tourism in the Kashmir region following the Pahalgam terror attack.
'After the Pahalgam incident tourists are terrified and no one is travelling to Kashmir region for tourism purposes. There is no demand for air travel to and from Kashmir. Hotels are empty there,' said the letter dated May 29.
The federation requested Sinha to waive off the User Development Fee (UDF) and GST for Srinagar, believing that eliminating these charges, along with existing safety and security efforts by the government, will encourage more people to fly to the region.
'Currently every departing passenger pays Rs. 1,050 as UDF and Rs. 200 as Aviation Security Fee (ASF), plus GST. May we request, if the government can waive both UDF and ASF for every departing passenger from Srinagar airport for a period of one year with immediate effect. It will boost air travel demand to and from Srinagar airport,' the letter said.
The federation also appealed to the MoCA to coordinate with the finance ministry to implement the waiver and streamline passenger data requirements with the Bureau of Immigration.
'Airlines have played a vital role in connecting India and contributing to nation-building, especially in promoting tourism in Kashmir over the years,' the FIA said. 'However, the current situation has severely impacted passenger traffic,' it added.
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