Tripura Government Urges Union Civil Aviation Minister to Cap Airfare and Expand Airport Options
Aviation companies operating in Tripura have drawn criticism from the state government for not passing on the benefits of a huge tax cut on aviation turbine fuel ATF to travelers. Despite offering the tax cut for the past three years, the companies have increased airfare prices ahead of the upcoming Durga puja celebration.
In a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Rammohan Naidu, Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury requested the implementation of a mechanism to cap airfare on the Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati routes. Chowdhury stressed the need for a cap due to a communication bottleneck and limited alternatives for travelers in the state.
Current airfares for flights between Agartala and Kolkata range from INR 10,000 to INR 12,000 for a distance of just 327 km. With the festival season approaching, there are concerns that prices may increase further, placing greater financial burdens on travelers.
During recent discussions in the Tripura assembly, the irrational airfare was raised as a concern. Despite the state government’s efforts to promote the aviation sector by reducing the VAT on ATF, aviation companies have chosen to expand their services to other routes, such as Kolkata to Chennai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and other cities, instead of addressing the needs of travelers on the Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati routes.
Minister Chowdhury reiterated that passengers are unable to benefit from reasonable airfare or improved service quality, generating resentment among the people of Tripura. The tax cut on aviation companies has been leveraged to increase profitability rather than benefiting the travelers. As a result, he requested that the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation consider implementing an upper cap on airfare for the Agartala-Kolkata and Agartala-Guwahati routes in order to alleviate the financial burden on passengers from Tripura and other Northeastern states.
Additionally, Minister Chowdhury appealed to the Ministry of Civil Aviation to facilitate the operation of 17 or 19-seater aircraft at Kailashahar Airport. He asked for a Letter of Approval (LoA) to be provided to M/s Alliance Air and M/s Flybig Airlines as part of the 4.2 bidding of UDAN. These airlines were awarded routes connecting Kailashahar to Kolkata and Agartala respectively to operate smaller aircraft.
By expanding airport options and implementing an airfare cap, the Tripura government aims to improve travel affordability and accessibility for the people of the state. These measures would streamline air transportation, ensuring that users are not affected by unreasonable fare increases during important festivals like Durga puja.
Travelers and residents of Tripura will be eagerly awaiting a response from the Union Civil Aviation Minister and hope that their concerns are addressed swiftly. The success of this proposal will not only benefit Tripura but will also serve as a potential solution for the air travel pricing challenges faced by other Northeastern states.
