Airfares shoot up by 185% for Holi travel; seats can cost up to Rs 20,000
India Today
With Holi around the corner, airfares on key domestic routes have surged as demand for tickets peaked. On routes from New Delhi and Bengaluru to Gorakhpur and Patna, ticket prices have surged by up to 185%. In some sectors, one-way fares are nearing Rs 20,000 on the weekend before Holi.
A few days away from Holi, as families and migrants look for flights to head home to celebrate the festival of colours, ticket prices are burning a hole in their pockets. Airfares on several key routes have shot up sharply for travel around February 28, Saturday, the weekend ahead of Holi. Trains, people say, are over-booked, and many have stopped taking passenger reservations.
Such is the surge in airfares that in some sectors, ticket prices have risen by up to 185% compared to late March, a month after February 28. In some cases, a one-way ticket is hovering near Rs 20,000.
A person named Akshat on X said, "During the Holi festival, flight ticket prices have gone insanely high. For the middle-class, it's becoming extremely difficult to travel home and celebrate with loved ones. Trains are fully booked, and flights from Bangalore to Varanasi are almost double the usual price."
"Have been tracking prices for the past 10-15 days, but no relief at all. Festivals should bring people together, not make travel unaffordable," the person added in a separate post.
The festive surge in airfares, seen during Holi and Diwali, has been a routine for quite many years. The Supreme Court on Monday expressed concern over the sharp rise in prices of air tickets, calling the issue serious. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta directed the government to file an affidavit within four weeks detailing the steps being taken to address the concerns raised in the PILs.
The matter is scheduled to come up for hearing on March 23, which is after the Holi rush subsides. So, there is no immediate respite for flyers as dynamic fares continue to surge and make people gasp.
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