As schools and colleges wrap up their holidays, there has been a sudden surge in the number of people opting for family outings.
With trains operating at full capacity, many are now turning to air travel. However, the airfares for flights from Prayagraj to popular cities like Pune, Mumbai, and Bangalore have skyrocketed.
Fares Exceeding 15,000 Rupees
The airfares for these destinations have reached staggering levels, exceeding 15,000 rupees. Even flights to Mumbai are demanding an average of ten thousand rupees.
The situation is exacerbated by the summer vacation period, with major trains heading towards South India, Mumbai, and nearby hill stations already fully booked until June.
Mixed Reactions to Soaring Airfares
While some individuals have opted to postpone their travel plans, others are determined to proceed with their vacations.
However, the exorbitant airfares have left many pondering whether to embark on family trips or spend their summer holidays in Prayagraj itself.
Passengers Weigh In
Amit Srivastava from Louder Road shared his experience, stating that he had planned a family trip to Ooty following his daughter’s school closure.
However, when they researched flight fares, they were taken aback by the prices, with fares to Bangalore exceeding 15,000 rupees on upcoming dates.
Similarly, Pramod Shukla from Rajrooppur had considered taking a flight to Mumbai or Pune to visit Khandala and Lonavala.
However, due to the fares being more than double the usual rates in these two cities, Pramod decided to postpone his travel plans as well.
Airfares for Prayagraj to Various Cities (May 26 – June 1)
City Name | 26 May | 27 May | 28 May | 29 May | 30 May | 31 May | 01 Jun Mumbai | 15,298 | 12,922 | 11,333 | 8,918 | 8,918 | 8,894 | 9,342 Bangalore | 14,696 | 16,177 |
17,050 | 13,541 | 12,989 | 10,499 | 13,591 Pune | – | – | 13,591 | – | 12,698 | – | 9,496 Bhubaneshwar |
8,589 | 8,589 | 12,290 | 6,565 | 6,565 | 7,180 | 6,565 Dehradun | 5,653 | 9,443 | 8,539 | 4,708 | 5,841 | 4,465 | 7,643
Air Travel Continues to Rise Despite Expensive Fares
Although airfares may be steep, the number of passengers choosing air travel is steadily increasing.
Over the past five days, the airport has handled an average of 2,200 passengers, surpassing the usual daily average of 1,500.
Between May 21 and May 25, a total of 11,113 passengers traveled through the airport, with 119 aircraft arriving and departing during this period.