The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which oversees aviation, has told airlines to adjust their airfares for flights to Prayagraj due to theĀ Maha Kumbh festival. Air ticket prices have increased by up to 600%, so the DGCA is taking action to control the high prices, as many pilgrims are travelling to attend the religious event. Since the festival started on January 13, 11.47 crore people have visited.

Ticket prices surge to over Rs 20,000

The number of people wanting to fly to Prayagraj has increased a lot, so airlines have raised their prices. A travel website reports that flights from Delhi to Prayagraj have become 21% more expensive, with one-way tickets now costing over Rs 20,000. Flights from Delhi to Varanasi are also expensive, priced between Rs 20,000 and Rs 40,000. Since Prayagraj flights are selling out fast, many travellers are looking for other airports to fly to.

Normally, one-way tickets to these destinations cost around Rs 5,000, so the current prices are much higher during this busy time. Airlines say the price increase is due to supply and demand, but many passengers feel this is unfair and amounts to taking advantage of the situation.

Increased flights approved to meet demand

To manage the increasing number of people travelling to Prayagraj, the DGCA has allowed 81 more flights in January. This brings the total number of flights to Prayagraj to 132. On Sunday, the Uttar Pradesh government reported that 1.17 crore people took a holy dip in the Sangam, showing just how many pilgrims are attending the event.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu has previously assured that the government is reviewing the ongoing rise in airfare prices. "I really want to delve into this issue (and) how to make them a little more accessible, available for the people of this country," he said. In February of the previous year, a parliamentary panel suggested that the government should create rules to control unexpected surges in airfares.