Holiday travel to Trichy, Madurai pricey
TNN | Dec 25, 2018, 06:17 IST
Representative imageCHENNAI: Airlines may be starting more flights from Chennai in the winter schedule, but the options passengers have to fly to Trichy and Madurai are few. The drop in the number of flights is having an impact on airfares this Christmas and New year season.
Sources said Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet discontinued services between Trichy and Chennai while Air India discontinued flights between Madurai and Chennai. Airlines have reduced frequency on the route though the two cities are major towns in the state after Chennai. It is usual for airlines to discontinue services on unprofitable routes and use the aircraft on routes with higher demand as part of route rationalisation. But fewer flights to Trichy, Madurai have led to higher airfares. There are six daily flights on Chennai-Trichy route while there are 10 to 11 connecting Chennai and Madurai.
For the New Year weekend, travel on December 28 (Friday) one-way fare from Chennai to Madurai is in the range of Rs 4,900 to Rs 10,700 and one-way fare on Chennai-Trichy route costs between Rs 3,964 and Rs 4,856. December 28 fares to Madurai are as expensive as tickets on Chennai-Delhi flights, which are sold for Rs 7,500 to Rs 12,000.
Demand for seats on both the routes are high as online travel portals show notification that fares are bound to increase further as tickets are selling fast.
On Madurai route the maximum fare has crossed Rs 10,000 band for December 28 and the maximum fare for travel in a day’s advance booking has touched Rs 14,000. This is against the warning of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels said, “The airlines have pulled out the flights from the route because at one point there were more flights and more choices for passengers, which meant that they could not get as much revenue as expected.” As the number of seats are not adequate to meet the demand, passengers have to pay more and airlines stand to gain.
Airlines often buy slots between cities in winter and summer schedule but may not use them immediately. “Flights are often reduced on some routes so new and more profitable routes could be operated,” said an airport official.
Sources said Jet Airways, IndiGo and SpiceJet discontinued services between Trichy and Chennai while Air India discontinued flights between Madurai and Chennai. Airlines have reduced frequency on the route though the two cities are major towns in the state after Chennai. It is usual for airlines to discontinue services on unprofitable routes and use the aircraft on routes with higher demand as part of route rationalisation. But fewer flights to Trichy, Madurai have led to higher airfares. There are six daily flights on Chennai-Trichy route while there are 10 to 11 connecting Chennai and Madurai.
For the New Year weekend, travel on December 28 (Friday) one-way fare from Chennai to Madurai is in the range of Rs 4,900 to Rs 10,700 and one-way fare on Chennai-Trichy route costs between Rs 3,964 and Rs 4,856. December 28 fares to Madurai are as expensive as tickets on Chennai-Delhi flights, which are sold for Rs 7,500 to Rs 12,000.
Demand for seats on both the routes are high as online travel portals show notification that fares are bound to increase further as tickets are selling fast.
On Madurai route the maximum fare has crossed Rs 10,000 band for December 28 and the maximum fare for travel in a day’s advance booking has touched Rs 14,000. This is against the warning of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation.
Basheer Ahmed of Metro Travels said, “The airlines have pulled out the flights from the route because at one point there were more flights and more choices for passengers, which meant that they could not get as much revenue as expected.” As the number of seats are not adequate to meet the demand, passengers have to pay more and airlines stand to gain.
Airlines often buy slots between cities in winter and summer schedule but may not use them immediately. “Flights are often reduced on some routes so new and more profitable routes could be operated,” said an airport official.
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