Sri Vijaya Puram, Aug. 27: Our Rights Organization has raised a public grievance over the continuing problem of excessively high and unaffordable airfares on routes connecting the Andaman & Nicobar Islands with mainland India and on other sectors serving the Islands, and has urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to order an independent and transparent examination of airfare structures and pricing practices.
In a letter dated August 27, 2026, addressed to the Minister of Civil Aviation, Mr. C. Saravanan, Chairman, Our Rights Organization stated that the Islands are geographically isolated and that air transportation is not merely a convenience for residents but, in many circumstances, an essential means of connectivity. Islanders depend upon air services for medical treatment, education, employment, family emergencies, official work, business and other essential purposes.
He stated that the prevailing airfare levels have become a matter of serious concern for the general public. The financial burden is particularly severe on senior citizens, students, patients requiring treatment outside the Islands and their attendants, families travelling for essential purposes, government employees and ordinary residents who cannot afford to pay exceptionally high airfares.
It further pointed out that the situation has a direct impact on tourism. Excessive airfares make the Islands an expensive destination and may discourage tourists, thereby affecting local businesses, employment and the overall tourism economy of the Union Territory. The organisation submitted that the issue deserves examination at the highest appropriate level, as air connectivity to an isolated Union Territory has an important public-service and regional-connectivity dimension.
Listing its principal grievances, Mr. C. Saravanan, stated that airfares on important routes connecting the Islands with mainland India are often disproportionately high, particularly during periods of increased demand. Ordinary residents, students, senior citizens and patients are facing substantial financial hardship because of the cost of air travel. Medical patients and their attendants may be compelled to travel to mainland India for specialised treatment, making affordable air connectivity particularly important. Students studying in mainland India and their families also face difficulties in meeting the cost of travel during holidays and emergencies.
The organisation further stated that high airfares adversely affect tourism and the livelihood of people dependent upon the tourism sector. It also stressed the need for greater transparency regarding airfare pricing, availability of seats and the factors contributing to substantial variations in fares.
In view of the seriousness of the matter, the organisation requested the Civil Aviation Ministry to consider ordering or facilitating an independent examination or enquiry into the fare structure and pricing practices applicable to flights operating to and from the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
The organisation has urged that the enquiry examine the reasons for the high airfare levels on various sectors, historical and current fare patterns on important routes, availability of seats at different fare levels, the impact of airline capacity and competition on ticket prices, and dynamic pricing practices during peak and emergency periods.
It has also sought examination of whether additional flight capacity or alternative arrangements can reduce the financial burden on passengers, the possibility of introducing a reasonable fare ceiling, monitoring mechanism or other appropriate measures for essential connectivity wherever legally and practically feasible, and the possibility of special concessions or affordable fares for senior citizens, students, medical patients and their attendants.
The organisation has further requested that measures required to ensure dependable and affordable air connectivity for the geographically isolated Union Territory be examined. It has urged the Ministry to take cognisance of the genuine public grievance of the Islanders, arrange an independent and transparent examination of the airfare issue, call for relevant data from airlines and other concerned authorities regarding fares, capacity, passenger demand and seat availability on the affected sectors, and examine appropriate measures for making air travel more affordable for Islanders.
The letter also seeks special consideration for medical patients, senior citizens and students, along with suitable steps to improve capacity and competition on important sectors. The organisation has requested that residents of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands be informed about the action taken on the public grievance.
Mr. Saravanan added that affordable and reliable air connectivity is vital for the social and economic development of the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and requested urgent intervention in the larger public interest. It expressed hope that the grievance would be given due consideration and appropriate action initiated at the earliest.
