Soaring fares, limited flights test Kullu’s tourism industry

Despite the onset of the peak summer travel season, Alliance Air has not resumed its daily direct flights between Kullu and Delhi, limiting operations to just four flights a week since October last year. This marks the first time the national regional carrier —India’s only government-owned airline — has not implemented a daily schedule for May, June and July, when tourist demand typically soars.

Travel agents in Kullu are alarmed by the reduced frequency and soaring airfares. Passengers are paying over Rs 26,000 for a one-way ticket, while average fares hover around Rs 20,000 for the 75-minute flight. Bhupinder Thakur, chief patron of the Kullu Travel Agents Association, expressed concern, noting that this is the first summer when daily flights have not been available. He pointed out that in 2023, additional flights were introduced during the season, supplementing regular daily services.

Thakur urged the reinstatement of daily flights and recommended introducing additional flights via Chandigarh to meet rising demand. He also proposed a twice-daily schedule to ease availability and bring down high fares, which are discouraging both tourists and locals.

Aviation expert Budhi Prakash Thakur, a member of the Kullu-Manali Airport Advisory Committee, echoed the sentiment. He advocated for expanding air routes to and from Kullu, noting past success with flights to Jaipur, Amritsar and Dehradun. He called for speedy implementation of direct flights to Jammu under the government’s UDAN scheme, emphasising region’s untapped tourism and economic potential.

Experts highlighted that in the 1990s, the Kullu-Manali Airport in Bhuntar supported up to eight flights a day, often running at full capacity. They suggested reintroducing Dornier-228 aircraft, which are better suited for the airport’s short runway. These planes could enable more consistent and competitive operations compared to the ATR-72 currently used by Alliance Air.

The ATR-72, though capable of seating 70 passengers, faces severe load restrictions at Kullu airport. Due to runway limitations, it can carry only 18–20 passengers during takeoff and around 40 on landing, making the route economically unviable and driving up costs.

Tourism stakeholders have long emphasised the importance of reliable air connectivity for boosting the local economy. They called on the government to prioritise regional aviation development to enhance accessibility, support tourism, and fuel economic growth across Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Tribune