Pune: Airfares Skyrocket Ahead of Festive Season, Leaving Passengers Worried

Pune, 2nd September 2024: As the festive season approaches, travelers are once again facing the prospect of steep airfares, despite promises from the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation to keep costs under control. Prices for one-way flights from Pune to major cities like Delhi, Kolkata, Patna, and Ranchi during Durga Puja and Diwali, which fall in October and November, are currently ranging from ₹10,000 to ₹13,000.

“We’re a family of four planning to visit Kolkata during Diwali (Kali Puja in Bengal) for ten days. The round trip is costing us ₹97,000. It’s just too expensive. We’ve looked into trains, but they’re fully booked,” lamented a resident from Wakad.

According to experts, there has been a noticeable increase in airfares for the Diwali period compared to last year. “We’ve seen a 15% to 30% hike in ticket prices for both metro and non-metro cities. The highest fares are between October 30 and November 5, with some one-way tickets reaching up to ₹30,000, even if booked three months in advance.

Back in June, when Ram Mohan Naidu took over as the Civil Aviation Minister, he announced a 100-day action plan aimed at addressing issues like exorbitant airfares.

Murlidhar Mohol, Minister of State for Civil Aviation, assured that the ministry is working closely with airlines to address the situation. “We are in constant consultation with all stakeholders, especially airlines, to ensure more aircraft are serviceable. This should help bridge the demand-supply gap, gradually stabilizing airfares across the country,” Mohol stated. He also mentioned that the Centre is providing viability gap funding under the Udan-RCS scheme to ease economic pressure on airlines, which could eventually help stabilize airfares.

An airline official, speaking on condition of anonymity, cited high demand as the reason for the increased prices. “Airfares are dynamic and tend to rise during festivals when demand is high. In contrast, fares during the monsoon season are lower because fewer people are traveling,” the official explained.

Mehboob Shaikh, Chairman of the Travel Agents Association of India, Central and South Maharashtra chapter, noted that fares have surged by 50% to 60% this year. “The most affected routes include Pune to Delhi, Kolkata, Ranchi, Patna, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Cochin, and Goa. Even international destinations like Dubai, Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia have seen a 10% to 15% increase in fares,” Shaikh observed.