Hefty increase in air fares ahead of Onam in Kerala

With Kerala's festival of Onam round the corner, foreign airline companies and even Air India Express appear to be operating on the policy of making hay while the sun shines - charging fares as much as 400 per cent higher.
Kerala Association of Travel Agents president K.V. Muraleedharan told reporters here on Friday that this has been the practice of airlines to fleece passengers during the peak season.
"The price of a ticket to Dubai which was around Rs.5,000 on Air India Express has now shot up to Rs.22,000 from any of the three airports in the state," Muraleedharan said.
"Other airlines also have announced their fares which have gone up from Rs.7,500 to Rs.28,000," he added. The other airlines incude Oman Air, Qatar Airways and Emirates.
"This is daylight robbery and Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi, who belongs to Kerala, has to step in," Muraleedharan said.
The peak season for airline companies starts a week ahead of the harvest festival of the state - Onam. This time the Onam celebration week commences Sep 4, and soon after that many Keralites who have arrived from the Middle East start to return.
26/08/11 IANS/Deccan Chronicle

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Aug 2011