By Bikram Vohra
There is no doubt that the Rs 175 crores spent on upgrading Pryagaraj airport to be able to handle 400 million people descending on the state for the once-in-12-year MahaKumbh Mela. This is the largest gathering in human history and airlines have been quick to take a bit of gouging advantage.
I can briefly quote a report on this issue.
It has resulted in a sharp increase in airfares for the period surrounding the Maha Kumbh, running from January 13 to February 26, 2025. According to Ixigo’s analysis, airfare from Delhi to Prayagraj has risen by 21 percent, with the one-way fare now averaging Rs 5,748. Similarly, the Mumbai-Prayagraj route has seen a 13 percent increase, with airfares now at Rs 6,381. For Thursday, January 16, passengers travelling from Delhi (DEL) to Prayagraj (IXD) can expect the following fares- IndiGo: Rs 19,497, Alliance Air (Air India): Rs 23,727 and SpiceJet: Rs 26,215.
One of the most dramatic increases has been observed for the Bhopal-Prayagraj flights, with prices soaring by a staggering 498 percent—from Rs 2,977 last year to Rs 17,796 this year. Other routes, such as Bengaluru to Prayagraj and Ahmedabad to Prayagraj, have also experienced considerable fare hikes of 89 percent and 41 percent, respectively.
The current increase combined by airlines is averaging a daily total of 20 flights or about 117 flights a week. Spice, Akasa, IndiGo and Alliance have all increased their quota.
While the 6 aerobridges, the increased counters, and improved facilities seem more than sufficient to handle 4000 plus passengers in a 24-hour cycle concerns about safety and security still niggle.
At the very outset turnaround times must not be reduced. When you mess around with your schedules and are further affected by an ‘untrained’ pilgrim influx there are bound to be delays. Their mindset is not au fait with aviation etiquette.
This absence of familiarity could cause a bottleneck and that congestion could lead directly to compensation with swifter turnarounds, missing meal services (the least or most of the negatives) and the risk of balk takeoffs where pilots could be affected by possible wake turbulence as aircraft reduce the gap between takeoffs.
Effective training and preparation for Air Traffic Control (ATC) are crucial in managing increased operational demands, as relying solely on good intentions is insufficient to mitigate risks. Ad hoc approaches, particularly when coupled with inexperience, can disrupt coordination among various service providers, such as baggage handling, catering, and ground staff, leading to longer turnaround times. Delays can also arise if private operators responsible for essential ground services face equipment failures or staffing shortages. Furthermore, routine aircraft issues, which are an inherent part of operations, can compound these delays. To minimize disruptions, it is imperative to maintain engineering support at an optimal level and ensure seamless collaboration across all service providers.
Although the airport is CAT II and supports night landings airlines will have to balance between the attraction of huge price increase profits and holding back on more flights.
Another contributory factor to mitigate the zeal and enthusiasm of the work teams is airport terminal chaos. Let’s not underestimate its potential for chaos. Just the singular issue of baggage reconciliation can be a veritable nightmare. Lost tickets, lost passengers, mix-ups over gates, last-minute changes, and even medical emergencies can all add to the pile.
If I was planning on going, I would opt for surface transport. A tad more comfortable.
Bikram Vohra is the Consulting Editor of Indian Aerospace & Defence.
