Airfares to Prayagraj and Varanasi have skyrocketed by 300% to 600% as thousands of pilgrims travel for the Mahakumbh.

With one-way-tickets from Delhi to Prayagraj costing between Rs. 20,000 – 30,000 and for Delhi to Varanasi between Rs. 20,000 – 40,000, many travelers are forced to explore alternative airports as flights to Prayagraj sell out.

This skyrocketing air fare is against the around Rs 5,000 for a one-way trip to these cities under normal circumstances.

This patters of extreme fair hikes during festive season or during major events has always been a contentious issue and causes deep looses to the air passengers pockets. While, Airlines defend the increases as a function of supply and demand, but passengers argue that it amounts to profiteering.

A recent survey conducted by LocalCircles gathered responses from over 30,000 airline passengers across 304 districts in India.

The findings reveal that 8 in 10 passengers have paid at least 1.5 times the standard fare at some point in the last year, with 36% experiencing this three to five times.

Furthermore, 60% of respondents want the government to introduce ceiling/upper limit for airline fares which is two times the standard fare.

It is pertinent to note here that the government for quite a some time has been talking of putting a cap on airfare to prevent price surges during peak times.

Union Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu earlier had assured that he would review the trend of ever-surging flight ticket prices’ “I really want to delve into this issue (and) how to make them a little more accessible, available for the people of this country,” the aviation minister had assured.

The airlines however maintain that airfares are driven by supply and demand. In February last year, a parliamentary panel had proposed that the government should frame guidelines to control sudden surges in airfares, adding that “a route-specific fare ceiling can be examined”.

But while the airlines argue that peak pricing is a global norm, consumer sentiment is shifting toward stricter regulations but the question still remains the same- Will the government finally act or will the passengers continue to bear the
brunt of unrestricted air fares?