Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pledged Tuesday to ramp up pressure on the Union government to curb exorbitant airfares burdening Haj pilgrims and expatriate Keralites. Addressing the state Assembly, Vijayan decried the steep ticket prices levied by airlines during festival seasons and vacations, a persistent grievance for the state’s diaspora.

“We’ve already written to the Civil Aviation Minister urging intervention,” Vijayan said, noting the issue was raised with MPs ahead of Parliament’s monsoon session. Yet, the Centre remains unmoved, maintaining that airlines alone dictate fares—a policy rooted in the 1994 deregulation that unshackled carriers from government oversight.

“They say it’s a commercial matter beyond their control,” he added.

The CM’s stance reflects Kerala’s long-standing battle against soaring travel costs, especially from Gulf nations where millions of Keralites work. Past pleas for chartered flights during peak times like Onam have met resistance, with the Centre citing dynamic pricing and case-by-case approvals.

As Haj season nears, Vijayan’s renewed push signals a fresh showdown with New Delhi, spotlighting a pain point for Kerala’s faithful and far-flung families.