Pahalgam Terror Attack: Government Steps In To Ease Travel Woes For Stranded Tourists

The Ministry of Civil Aviation on Wednesday has directed airline operators to support tourists affected by the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. The directive, issued after the incident on Tuesday, asked carriers to waive cancellation and rescheduling charges, maintain regular fares, and operate additional flights to manage evacuation and demand.

The Baisaran Valley attack on Tuesday afternoon left at least 26 tourists dead and several injured. The government is carrying out evacuation and rescue operations in coordination with local authorities.

The aviation ministry has asked airlines to extend full cooperation to affected passengers. Four special flights from Srinagar—two to Delhi and two to Mumbai—have been arranged. Airlines have also been advised to keep more flights on standby in case of urgent evacuation needs.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has reiterated the need to scale up operations and ensure uninterrupted connectivity from Srinagar to various cities. Airlines have been issued a strong advisory to avoid surge pricing and facilitate full refunds and rescheduling for affected travellers.

Air India

• Operating two additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday, 23 April.

• Srinagar to Delhi: 11:30 AM

• Srinagar to Mumbai: 12:00 noon

• All other flights to and from Srinagar are operating as per schedule.

• Offering complimentary rescheduling and full refunds on cancellations for confirmed bookings on affected routes until 30 April.

Air India Express

• Offering flexibility in rescheduling and a full waiver of date change fees and fare differences for passengers travelling to or from Srinagar until April 30.

• Operates approximately 80 weekly flights connecting Srinagar to Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jammu, and Kolkata.

• Offers onwards connectivity to 26 other destinations, including Agartala, Ayodhya, Chennai, Goa, Kochi, Mumbai, Patna, Thiruvananthapuram, and Varanasi.

Akasa Air

• Waiving cancellation and rescheduling fees for all flights to and from Srinagar between 23 and April 29.

• Providing full refunds at no additional charge.

• Waiving fare differences and penalties for travel rescheduled within seven days of the original travel date.

IndiGo

• Extending waivers on cancellation and rescheduling.

• Operating special flights on April 23.

SpiceJet

• A travel advisory is awaited.