If you are planning to escape the scorching heat of the summer and head for some cool holiday destination with your family, prepare to shell out the savings you’ve accumulated over a couple of years. Airfares from the city have touched astronomical heights and it is much cheaper to travel abroad than within the country.
For instance, a one-way, economy class ticket from Kolkata to Delhi is now going for a whopping Rs. 23,000 (bought a day in advance). the same journey would cost you no more than Rs. 9,000 even a month ago. And should you opt for business class, just multiply that figure by 2.
In fact, tickets on most sectors are burning hot. A one-way ticket to another popular destination, Mumbai, is going for anything between Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 17,000, while those travelling to Bangalore will be lighter by Rs. 18,000. Airfares have shot up even in the N-E, where people have very few options.
Travel agents say the fares are likely to rise further. “There are two reasons for the abnormal rise in airfares: One, this is the peak travel season due to summer holidays and second, the demand for seats is far more than the supply,” said Anil Punjabi, eastern region chairman of travel agents’ Federation of india. “ticket prices in the domestic sectors have gone by at least 30%,” he added.
But why the sudden shortage of airline seats? “Kingfisher’s stopped flights from the city. And travellers are wary of flying AI because of the uncertainty in the airlines. And, because of the falling rupee against the dollar, holidaying abroad has become expensive and people are looking for domestic destinations,” Punjabi said. Even low-cost airlines like IndiGo have upped their base fares. A one-way journey to Delhi on this airline now costs Rs. 8,000 against the earlier fares of Rs. 5,000.
{{/usCountry}}But why the sudden shortage of airline seats? “Kingfisher’s stopped flights from the city. And travellers are wary of flying AI because of the uncertainty in the airlines. And, because of the falling rupee against the dollar, holidaying abroad has become expensive and people are looking for domestic destinations,” Punjabi said. Even low-cost airlines like IndiGo have upped their base fares. A one-way journey to Delhi on this airline now costs Rs. 8,000 against the earlier fares of Rs. 5,000.
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