Airlines ask for help from the government to restore air travel demand to Kashmir.

Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing major Indian carriers like Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet, has requested the government to appeal for prompt support in order to restore air travel demand to and from Srinagar airport.

In a letter to Samir Kumar Sinha, the civil aviation ministry secretary, the FIA pointed out the steep fall in tourism in the Kashmir valley following the Pahalgam terror attack.

"After the Pahalgam incident, tourists are scared and nobody is going to Kashmir state for tourism purposes. There is no demand of flights to and from Kashmir. Hotels are vacant there," said the letter dated May 29.

The federation asked Sinha to waive off the User Development Fee (UDF) and GST for Srinagar, considering that the elimination of these charges, coupled with prevailing safety and security efforts by the government, will make more individuals choose to fly to the destination.

"Presently all traveling passengers have to pay Rs. 1,050 as UDF and Rs. 200 as Aviation Security Fee (ASF), along with GST. May we request, that the government exempt both UDF and ASF for all departing passengers from Srinagar airport for a period of one year with immediate effect. It will increase air travel demand to and from Srinagar airport," the letter stated.

The Federation also urged the MoCA to coordinate with the finance ministry to enforce the waiver and streamline passenger data requirements with the Bureau of Immigration.

"Aviation has played a crucial in connecting India and contributing to nation-building, especially in promoting tourism in Kashmir over the past years," the FIA stated. "But the present scenario has severely affected the passenger traffic," it added.

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