In festive times, metro-to-metro airfares stay on the ground
Times of India | 25 December 2024
123 Kolkata: Airfares between multiple metros and Kolkata are selling at significantly low prices this festive season. This is due to the addition of seats by airlines, strong competition, and a change in tactics by private carriers. They are selling tickets at a higher price a month prior to the journey but reducing the fares closer to the travel dates to fill up seats that are empty.
For years, the usual practice was a spike in airfares nearer to the festive season. However, this year has seen a welcome change, with average airfares to almost all major metros offering prices lower than usual. Different airlines operate multiple flights throughout the day.
One-way flights to Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Hyderabad for Christmas Day are selling at Rs 6,400, Rs 5,400, Rs 6,300, Rs 7,000, and Rs 5,900, respectively. Flights from these destinations to Kolkata are also in a similar price category, with Mumbai-Kolkata flight tickets selling at Rs 6,500, Delhi-Kolkata flights at Rs 6,400, Bangalore-Kolkata flights at Rs 7,500, and Chennai-Kolkata flights at Rs 7,400.
The situation doesn't change even during year-end travel, as flight fares to the top five metros from Kolkata are selling between Rs 5,300 and Rs 7,300. According to travel agents, these are much cheaper than the flight fares in the first half of Dec. All these destinations have 10-plus flights operating between them. Flight fares to metros like Pune, Ahmedabad, and Surat are still at a comparatively higher price range due to fewer flight operations between them.
TOI wrote last week about airfares from Kolkata to traditional holiday hot spots in the country like Andamans, Srinagar, Kerala, Goa, Shillong, Chandigarh, and Bagdogra soaring high this festive week. However, the reverse is happening for metro cities.
"I have a planned trip to Mumbai and Aurangabad between Dec 26 and Jan 3. I bought one-way tickets to Mumbai at Rs 8,000 per person, one month ago. As I checked the fares today, I found they are selling at only Rs 6,400," said Saikat Das, a resident of Behala.
"It's a welcome change. We witnessed the same trend during Diwali, where flight tickets closer to the travel date are actually cheaper," said Anil Punjabi, national committee member of Travel Agents Federation of India (East).
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