Indian Youth Congress (IYC) national general secretary Tarh Johny has urged Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi to raise concerns over rising airfares and limited airline competition in the Northeast during the Monsoon Session of Parliament.
In a representation to Gogoi, with copies sent to Congress Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu, Johny said air travel in the Northeastern states is an essential means of transport rather than a luxury due to the region’s challenging terrain, limited railway connectivity and lengthy road journeys.
Highlighting what he described as a significant disparity in airfares, Johny said a non-stop 50-minute flight from Imphal to Guwahati was priced at Rs 11,687 on July 18, while a non-stop flight from Imphal to New Delhi, lasting 2 hours and 40 minutes, was available for Rs 10,525 on the same day.
“Such fare disparities have caused widespread concern among passengers and deserve careful examination by the authorities concerned,” Johny said in his representation.
The Youth Congress leader also alleged that limited competition among airlines operating on regional routes has made air travel increasingly expensive, particularly for students, patients, businesspersons and families travelling during emergencies.
According to Johny, the issue affects residents across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura. He called for parliamentary intervention to address the growing concerns over air connectivity and affordability in the region.
Johny urged the Centre to conduct a comprehensive review of airfare trends in the Northeast and direct the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to examine sudden fare increases. He also called for measures to encourage greater airline competition on regional routes, establish a transparent airfare monitoring mechanism and formulate a long-term policy aimed at ensuring equitable and affordable air connectivity across the Northeast.
