Sky-High Fares on Hyderabad-Tirupati Route Spark Urgent Call for Central Intervention

Gurumoorthy highlighted a stark pricing disparity, noting that while fares from Hyderabad to major hubs like Goa, New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai typically range between ₹2,500 and ₹7,000, the Hyderabad-Tirupati sector frequently records average non-stop fares between ₹6,600 and ₹9,500. Under certain conditions, these prices have been known to skyrocket to ₹14,500. Providing operational data to support his claims, the MP stated that the route handled over 11.8 lakh passengers and nearly 13,400 flights between April 2025 and March 2026. Data from March 2026 alone revealed 88,405 passengers across 864 flights, maintaining an average of approximately 17 daily arrivals.

The MP further identified a shift in operational logistics as a primary driver of the price hike, pointing out that the number of larger aircraft operating on the route has dwindled from five to two. This reduction has been met with an increased deployment of smaller aircraft, a move that Gurumoorthy argues has constrained seat capacity and artificially inflated fares. He asserted that this current pricing trend runs directly contrary to the core objectives of the Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik scheme, a government initiative designed to ensure that air travel remains affordable and accessible to the common public.

Concluding his plea, Gurumoorthy urged the Ministry of Civil Aviation to take immediate action by directing airline operators to rationalise their tariff structures, particularly during peak travel periods. He called for a strategic increase in flight frequency and the redeployment of higher-capacity aircraft to better align market supply with the high demand of the pilgrim circuit. This intervention is sought to restore the spirit of affordable aviation and protect the interests of the millions of devotees traveling to the spiritual heart of Andhra Pradesh.