Low-fare skyrockets Indian travel story

New Delhi: Budget airlines seem to have revolutionised the way Indians travel domestically. Terminals of five major airports — Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Chennai and Thiruvananthapuram — have recorded unprecedented growth in passenger traffic at 42.9% in April-June 2006 compared to 19.8% in the corresponding period of the previous year.
According to the ministry of statistics & programme implementation data, domestic terminals of the five airports handled 97.89 lakh passengers in the first quarter of the current fiscal compared to 68.49 lakh passengers handled in April-June 2005.
The growth trend has not been so strong at the international terminals of the five airports. In April-June 2006, international terminals of five airports handled 44.12 lakh passengers, posting only 13.2% growth compared to 38.96 lakh passengers handled during the corresponding period of previous year.
Domestic travellers’ preference seems to have been shifted in favour of air travel due to the dynamic and low air fares offered by airlines.
Travel agencies also accept that low air fares have been a major booster for travellers.
16/04/07 Neha Kohli/Economic Times

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Categories: Low Cost General Apr 2007