New Delhi: Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha raised concerns in Parliament over the limited reach and placement of the government’s affordable airport food initiative, the Udaan Yatri Cafe.
Speaking during a Special Mention in the Upper House, Chadha welcomed the government’s move to introduce budget-friendly food options such as ₹10 tea and ₹20 samosas at airports. However, he highlighted several practical issues affecting passengers.
The MP pointed out that while India now has more than 150 airports, Udaan Yatri Cafes have been set up at only about 10–12 airports so far. As a result, the benefit of affordable food options is currently limited to a small number of locations.
Chadha also emphasised that most of these cafes are located before the check-in and security screening areas. According to him, passengers typically spend the longest waiting time in the departure hold area after security checks, where they often face high prices for food and beverages.
“Passengers can bring or consume food before check-in, but once they enter the secure departure area, they are left with limited and expensive options,” he said.
He further noted that at airports where the cafes do exist, limited counters and menu options often lead to long queues, especially during peak travel hours, reducing accessibility for many passengers.
Chadha urged the government to expand the scheme to all major and smaller airports across the country and ensure that the cafes are set up inside departure hold areas after security checks so that passengers can access affordable food while waiting for their flights.
He concluded by stating that such measures would help make air travel more affordable and passenger-friendly for the general public.
