Airfares descend from stratosphere

Mumbai: Flyers are heaving a sigh of relief with airfares, which had skyrocketed in November-December, getting restored to affordable levels.
MiD DAY checked the airfares for five of the busiest domestic destinations from Mumbai and found that fares for tickets booked even one or two days prior to departure for the January-February busy season do not pinch the pocket.
For a traveller wanting to fly out to Delhi from the city on February 1 and wanting to return the next day, the return fare yesterday was between Rs 5,500 and Rs 7,500 (see box). The fare to Bangalore for the same dates was between Rs 6,567 and Rs 7,628.
"Yes, the fares are far cheaper now. In fact, when we tell our clients what the fare is, they think we are joking," said Saurabh Kumar, a travel agent from Andheri.
Sources close to the Civil Aviation Ministry revealed that the airlines are keeping the airfares low also because they don't want to antagonise the new civil aviation minister, Vayalar Ravi. He had expressed concern about exorbitant fares within hours of taking up the portfolio.
31/01/11 Bipin Kumar Singh/MiD DAY

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Jan 2011