Family holidays go for a toss as airfares soar
Domestic air ticket prices to Srinagar, Goa, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Dehradun and Kathmandu soared beyond the reach of middle-class families in past one week
image for illustrative purpose
Lucknow: Soaring air fares to various prime tourist destinations are now making people cancel holiday plans this summer. Air fares to Srinagar, Goa, Mumbai, Coimbatore, Kolkata, Dehradun and Kathmandu have soared beyond the reach of middle-class families and record cancellations have taken place in the past one week.
“We had planned to visit Srinagar in mid-June, but the air fares are now beyond our reach. The one-way air fares are between Rs11,000 and Rs18,000 and I can’t afford it for my family of five. I am told that taxis in Srinagar have also increased their rates,” said Rajeshwar Singh, an executive in a telecom company.
With one-way Lucknow-Dehradun fares ranging between Rs8,000 to Rs11,000, several people have opted for road travel to Uttarakhand.
“We went to Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand, but could not get any hotel. For the first time, people are seeing traffic jams in this small town. We could stay for just two days in a homestay and then came back,” said Sumit Agarwal, a software techie.
“The rising air fares have been a major spoiler this season. A one-way ticket to Kathmandu costs between Rs15,000 to Rs18,000. How can any middle-class family be expected to bear the cost of this holiday? We searched for other options, including Goa, but could not afford a family trip,” said Prem Swarup, a retired government employee.
