New Delhi If you are hoping to get great bargains on air tickets, forget it. Domestic airfares are the highest ever in the last 3 years and still going up.
Until March next year, cheap deals will be few and far between.
Talking about the festive season airfare, Raj Travel, CMD, Lalith Sheth said, "One way ticket from Mumbai to Bangalore or Delhi for 9,000 rupees on a budget airline. These are the normal fares all airlines are charging is this season. "
Industry player says that there is nearly 25 per cent up in air passengers in festive season with most holidays are falling close to weekends.
There is also 10 per cent increase in foreign tourists and more business travel, thanks to an upswing in the economy.
This has been much beneficiary for airline industry and they are using this as a chance to recover losses incurred because of high fuel prices and natural disasters in the first half of the year.
According to Aswini Kakkar, CEO, Thomas Cook, "To add to the woes of travelers the fuel surcharge that was imposed at the highest level of fuel prices have not been brought down even when fuel prices have come down."
Starting mid October, most airlines fares are high up to 80 per cent. This is expected to continue till March next year.
But travel agents say that April onwards the situation will ease up with existing airlines adding more capacity and 2-3 new airlines are in pipeline.
According to some travel agents, "This season there are fewer cheap tickets compared to last year. Even if you book well in advance, the chances of landing a 500 to 1000 rupee tickets are quite low."
Airlines are doing good business and preparing for another round of completion and undercutting next year.
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