Air fares soar high as demand rises ahead of lockdown

Air fares soar high as demand rises ahead of lockdown

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:09.05.2021

The total lockdown announced by the state government from Monday has triggered a sudden demand for flights, trains and buses as people, including guest workers, scrambled to return home. Air fares shot up while private omni buses started overcharging passengers leaving Chennai. For instance, a one-way trip to Nagercoil cost around ₹3,000 on Saturday.

The traffic was two-way for flights as people were booking to leave the city and, reach the city before the lockdown kicked in. Air fares shot up on several routes including Kolkata, Guwahati, Ahmedabad, and Jaipur for travel on Sunday as demand was high. A Chennai-Guwahati ticket was priced at Rs14,000, Delhi at ₹7,000 to ₹12,000, and Ahmedabad at ₹7,000 to ₹10,000. Fares to reach the city from different parts of the country were similar.

Airlines have reduced the number of departures to 43 on Saturday. "There is demand for flights as people want to return homebeforeMonday and many who are away in other states want to reach Chennai as it will be difficult to travel when shutdown begins on Monday," said an airport official. Airlines may cancel more flights in the coming days because people will not travel during the total lockdown, he added.

Chennai mofussil bus terminus and omni bus terminus at Koyambedu saw a huge crowd of people returning home to neighbouring districts and to southern districts on Saturday. Transport Minister RS Raja Kannappan said that a fine of Rs10,000 would be collected for selling bus tickets at a higher price than usual and buses would be impounded by the nearest police station.

To clear the anticipated rush, the state transport authority had operated additionalspecialbusestosouthernand western districts on Saturday night and Sunday round the clock.