Is it safe to take a helicopter ride to pilgrimage sites?

Helicopter services to places like Kedarnath and Vaishno Devi make pilgrimages easier, especially for elderly people. But mountain flying is risky because weather changes quickly, and several accidents have raised safety concerns.

• Book only through official government portals; fake booking websites are a common scam.
• Follow weather-related cancellations; don’t pressure operators to fly in bad conditions.
• Follow all safety briefings.

Read about recent concerns in this report on the Uttarakhand helicopter crash.