Disparity in Hajj Flight Costs Raises Concerns for Karipur Pilgrims

Hajj pilgrims departing from Karipur airport are facing a notable disparity in flight costs compared to their counterparts at Kannur and Kochi airports. The current scenario reveals an additional expense of at least Rs 79,000 per ticket for Karipur pilgrims, even as ticket prices have decreased at the other two airports. Surprisingly, the tenders for airline companies opened on January 18, with Saudi Airlines securing bids for Kochi and Kannur, while Air India won the tender for Karipur. Unofficial reports suggest that Air India might have been the sole bidder at Karipur, quoting an exorbitant Rs 1.65 lakhs per ticket for Hajj passengers, significantly higher than the Rs 86,000 quoted by Saudi Airlines for the same journey from the other two airports.