At a time when airport tea often costs more than a city meal, Udan Yatri Cafe has turned into one of those rare policy stories people instantly understand. The latest wave of attention came after AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha posted a video from Mumbai Airport showing himself buying tea for ₹10, pushing the issue back into the national conversation. His larger point has stayed simple: affordable food at airports should feel normal, not luxurious. Raghav Chadha on X.
Why Raghav Chadha’s Push Has Landed With Flyers
Raghav Chadha, 37, is an Aam Aadmi Party Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab and the husband of actor Parineeti Chopra. In Parliament, he has built a profile through committee work and public-facing interventions. Official parliamentary documents show he has served on the Finance and Housing and Urban Affairs committees and is now on the External Affairs committee. He has also raised questions on tourism and labour safety, which explains why his airport-food intervention has been noticed beyond party politics.
His link to Udan Yatri Cafe goes back to the airport pricing issue he raised in Parliament during the debate around the Indian aviation law changes in late 2024. Chadha argued that flyers were being forced to pay inflated rates for basics like water and tea. Soon after, the Civil Aviation Ministry launched the first Udan Yatri Cafe at Kolkata airport in December 2024. Chennai followed in February 2025, and by January 2026 the ministry said the model had already expanded to seven airports.
On March 9, 2026, Chadha returned to the subject in Rajya Sabha and asked the government to take the cafes to every airport, especially inside post-security departure areas where passengers actually spend time waiting. He also flagged long queues and limited counters. Around the same time, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said 13 airports already had Udan Yatri Cafes and that more than 10 lakh passengers had used them.
What Chadha Suggested To The Government
His suggestion was not only to expand the cafes, but to rethink placement. Chadha argued that the outlets should move beyond pre-check-in zones and into departure areas after security, where passengers are more likely to need tea, water, or a quick snack before boarding. That turned the discussion from “cheap food exists” into “cheap food must be available where travellers actually wait.”
Airports, Prices, And Why The Story Keeps Growing
The rollout is moving fast, so the airport list is still expanding. Earlier official government material confirmed Kolkata, Chennai, Ahmedabad, Pune, Bhubaneswar, Hollongi, and Vijayawada. Fresh launches or operational reports this week also surfaced from Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, Chandigarh, Patna, Rajkot, Jammu, and Srinagar. That is why the story has picked up speed online: people are not just hearing promises now, they are spotting the cafes in terminals.
The standard low-price menu remains the headline reason this model stands out. Water is typically ₹10, tea is ₹10, coffee is ₹20, samosa is ₹20, and sweets or snack items are usually around ₹20. For passengers used to paying steep airport markups, that is the whole hook. What makes the moment politically sharper is the visual proof: the same MP who raised the complaint in Parliament is now posting himself drinking ₹10 chai at an airport where the idea has clearly arrived.
FAQs
1. What is Udan Yatri Cafe?
It is an airport cafe offering tea, water, coffee, and snacks at low, fixed prices.
2. Who pushed the airport food issue in Parliament?
Raghav Chadha amplified the issue in Parliament, pressing the government to expand budget airport food.
3. How much does tea cost there?
Tea is priced at Rs 10, making it the most talked-about item online currently nationwide.
4. Which airports have cafes right now?
Confirmed and reported locations now range from Kolkata and Chennai to Mumbai, Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna.
5. Why is this story gaining traction online?
Because Chadha posted himself buying Rs 10 chai, turning policy into a relatable viral moment.
