CM Pinarayi Vijayan demands Centre for airfare regulations for Haj pilgrims, expats

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Tuesday said his government would continue pressuring the Centre to regulate steep airfares imposed on Haj pilgrims and expatriate Keralites, especially during festivals and holidays.

Speaking in the state Assembly, Vijayan said airline companies were charging exorbitant ticket prices, making travel difficult for many.

He added that the state had already written to the Union Minister of Civil Aviation, Ram Mohan Naidu, urging intervention. The matter was also



raised in a recent meeting of MPs ahead of the monsoon session of Parliament.

The Centre maintained that airlines independently set and revise fares, and that the government does not interfere in their commercial decisions. Vijayan pointed out that fare regulations were lifted in 1994, allowing airlines full control over pricing.

Earlier this month, Pinarayi Vijayan accused the Union government of deliberately stifling the state’s progress, alleging financial discrimination against Kerala.