Airfares Surge By 40-50% As Major Airlines Cancel Flights

Due to operational and financial turbulence at some of the country's leading airlines including Indigo and Jet Airways, air ticket prices for some of the busiest routes has seen a sharp surge. Jet Airways and Indigo on a daily basis were operating about 2000 flights.

Debt-ridden Jet Airways grounded 25 aircraft after the airline fails to pay the dues due to the lessors in accordance with the lease agreement. Amid operational inefficiency, the air carrier cancelled as many as 60 flights on February 28. On a daily basis, Jet Airways has been cancelling flights.

Low-cost Indigo also said it will cancel 30 daily flights till the end of March mainly due to shortage of pilots and also as the air-carrier is unable to manage its increasing fleet.
Runway maintenance and repair work until March 30 at Mumbai International airport is also leading to flight disruptions.

As per MakeMyTrip, a round trip from Mumbai to New Delhi from March 29- March 31 will cost at least Rs. 6,385. Similarly airfares from Mumbai to Kolkata and Chennai are priced in the range of Rs. 7000-Rs. 8000. Airfares for another busy route Mumbai to Bangalore is also available for up to Rs. 5000.

Notably, for these routes if the air tickets are booked 3 weeks in advance, the usual fares are less by Rs. 1000- Rs. 2000.

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