Panaji: As airlines have reduced flight operations, citing an increase in aviation turbine fuel costs, airfares to Goa have begun to rise sharply. This is particularly disheartening for travelers planning to holiday in Goa during the long weekends this year. Although prices on most routes have not been hiked for immediate travel dates, the cost of air tickets on many routes has already reached Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 per flight for the October 2 weekend, Dussehra, Diwali, and the first week of December.
Airlines hike fares months ahead of year-end holidays
On routes like Kolkata, the immediate increase may seem minor, with fares ranging from Rs 7,500 to Rs 9,000 in June, compared to around Rs 6,500 earlier. However, airlines have already raised the price of a ticket to Rs 11,000 to Rs 12,000 for October on the Kolkata-Goa route, when passenger numbers from the city peak due to Durga Puja holidays.
Airfare to fly from Bhopal to Goa for the October 2 weekend is already Rs 19,000, and that too for a flight with a layover in Mumbai, as no direct flights are available on the route now. Even during the monsoon, the fare on this route starts from Rs 6,000.
Surge in fares on key routes
Airfares on routes like Chandigarh have surged to Rs 10,000 to Rs 12,000 even during monsoon weekends, as this is one of the key routes where operations have been reduced. Flights from Delhi, which are still available at Rs 5,000 during the monsoon, are already priced at Rs 8,500 to Rs 9,500 around the October 2 weekend, during Diwali, and in the peak season of December, which is still months away. Travelers will either have to brace themselves to spend significantly more for a vacation in Goa due to the airfares, or the cost may deter visitors heading to Goa for the upcoming tourist season.
For flights on the Chennai route, air tickets are already priced at Rs 6,500 to Rs 9,000 around the October 2 weekend and in December. The same ticket is available for Rs 4,000 during the monsoon.
In the case of Ahmedabad too, prices have touched Rs 6,200 to Rs 6,700 already during these upcoming peak travel periods. The fare on this route is Rs 4,200 during the monsoon off-season.
Similarly, airfare on the Mumbai route is up to Rs 4,000, but already hiked to Rs 6,000 and above to fly into Goa for the October 2 weekend or around Dussehra and Diwali holidays.
Only on the Bengaluru route, due to availability of flights, fares are still between Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 even during the upcoming weekends and peak season.
