Chennai: Planning to catch a flight for a holiday this festive season? Get ready to burn a hole in your pocket.
The festive season has triggered a significant surge in air travel demand, leading to a sharp increase in domestic and international flight fares from Chennai. Holidays for Christmas and New Year prompted travellers to head to their hometowns and popular tourist destinations, causing fares to skyrocket.
Flight prices have seen up to a four-fold increase in the past few days. For instance, fares from Chennai to Tuticorin jumped from 4,796 to 14,281, and fares rose from 4,300 to 17,695 for flights to Madurai. International routes are also impacted, with Chennai to Kuala Lumpur climbing from 11,016 to 33,903 and Chennai to Dubai increasing from 12,871 to 26,752.
As train tickets are fully booked and private bus fares soar, many residents, especially those from southern districts, making last-minute bookings, are turning to flights for faster travel. This has resulted in a noticeable rise in passenger numbers at Chennai Airport. International hotspots such as Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Thailand, and Dubai are also seeing heavy demand.
C Michael from Trichy, working in Chennai, said he tried to book flight tickets as train tickets were not available. “I didn’t think a flight to Trichy would cost 15,000,” he said.
Despite the steep prices, travellers are booking flights to ensure timely arrivals at their destinations. The increased demand has left many flights fully booked.
Former Air India general manager C. Mohan said, “As a consumer, I am upset with the dynamic pricing of airfares. But having served in the industry, I know airlines can’t be blamed. Airfares have become demand-based in the market-driven economy. But it is high time the airfares are capped,” he said.
