SRINAGAR: The Centre on Thursday said the additional USD 100 (around Rs 10,000) charged from Hajj pilgrims for Haj 2026 was approved after airlines sought a higher fare revision due to the extraordinary situation arising from the Middle East crisis and the resulting increase in operational costs.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 795, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said the selected airlines had approached the Ministry of Minority Affairs seeking an upward revision of up to USD 400 per pilgrim, citing, among other factors, the increase in Aviation Turbine Fuel (ATF) prices.
The minister said that after consultations with stakeholders and in accordance with the Government of India’s procurement rules, the Ministry of Minority Affairs approved an increase of USD 100 per pilgrim, equivalent to about Rs 10,000, applicable across all airlines and all Haj embarkation points.
The clarification came in response to queries by MP V. K. Sreekandan, who had asked whether airlines had demanded an additional Rs 10,000 from Haj pilgrims despite having already collected Rs 90,844 per pilgrim from passengers departing from the Mumbai Embarkation Point, and whether the additional charge would be withdrawn in view of the subsequent reduction in ATF prices.
The government, however, did not indicate any proposal to withdraw or revise the additional airfare, reiterating that the increase had been approved in light of the exceptional operational challenges linked to the conflict in the Middle East.
