Agartala–Hyderabad Direct Flight Set to End From October 1, Passengers Face Fewer Options and Rising Airfares

By Our Correspondent

Agartala, September 23, 2026

Air connectivity between Tripura and other parts of the country is once again coming under scrutiny, with the proposed withdrawal of IndiGo’s direct Agartala–Hyderabad flight from October 1 adding to concerns over the shrinking number of direct air services from the state.

The issue has assumed greater significance because passengers are not only facing a reduction in the number of flights, but are also having to pay substantially higher fares for air travel. For many passengers, particularly students, patients, government employees, business travellers and people travelling outside the state for employment or education, the rising cost of air tickets has become an additional burden.

According to a report based on a letter written by Tripura Transport Minister Sushanta Chowdhury to Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu in August, several airlines have either withdrawn, reduced or proposed to discontinue services connecting Agartala. The minister had specifically sought the Centre's intervention to retain existing services and restore withdrawn routes. The letter also mentioned that IndiGo's direct Agartala–Hyderabad service was proposed to be withdrawn from October 1, while changes in services by Air India, Air India Express and Akasa Air were also cited.

The proposed withdrawal is particularly important because Hyderabad has emerged as a major destination for Tripura's patients, students, professionals and business travellers. A direct flight reduces both travel time and the inconvenience associated with changing flights at Kolkata or another airport. Once a direct service is withdrawn, passengers may have to depend on connecting flights, making journeys longer and, in many cases, more expensive.

At the same time, available fare data shows that air travel from Agartala to Hyderabad can already involve significant expenditure. Current fare listings for September and October show one-way fares varying considerably depending on the date, with several dates showing fares in the Rs.8,000–Rs.15,000 range or higher.

The concern being raised by passengers, however, goes beyond the withdrawal of a particular flight. They argue that the problem is not only the reduction in the number of aircraft or flights; ticket prices themselves have risen sharply over the past one to two years, making air travel increasingly difficult for ordinary residents of Tripura.

The situation has also raised questions about what further measures can be taken by the state government to protect Tripura's air connectivity. While the Transport Minister has already approached the Union Civil Aviation Minister seeking intervention, passengers are looking for more sustained efforts to ensure that important routes are retained and that adequate competition and capacity remain available.

There is also a growing public expectation that the state government should take up the issue of high airfares more forcefully with the Centre, airlines and the relevant aviation authorities. For a geographically isolated state such as Tripura, dependable and affordable air connectivity is not merely a matter of convenience. It has implications for healthcare, higher education, employment, business, tourism and the movement of government and private-sector professionals.

The issue is particularly sensitive because Tripura's geographical location makes air connectivity an important alternative to long-distance road and rail travel. Passengers travelling to metropolitan cities for specialised medical treatment or higher education often have limited alternatives when direct flights are unavailable.

more news...