MUMBAI: Airfare for two-week travel has crashed, a first during the pandemic. The demand for air travel had also declined during the last two Covid waves, but the fares did not fall proportionately, as the government then capped fares for a very long period.
Currently, the domestic fares are limited to a period of 15 days only. If you look at the fares on Thursday (January 13), you will find cheaper fares on flights scheduled from January 28. For example, you have a Mumbai-Goa The return fare is around Rs 3,900 while the Delhi-Mumbai return fare is Rs 4,700 (see box).
During the previous waves, the fare limit was extended for a longer period. For example, when domestic air travel began on May 25, 2020, after a two-month ban, the government capped fares for three consecutive months until August 24, 2020. Thereafter, the government continued to increase the duration of the fare cap. In September last year itself, the government had reduced the fare limit from 30 days to 15 days. But at that time, the demand for air travel was increasing and hence the fare for a journey of more than 15 days was not cheap.
In the last two weeks, however, with the rise in COVID cases, the demand for air travel has come down and so for the first time during the pandemic, cheaper fares are available for two weeks of travel.
“Not many people would like to travel now, but this is the best time to book tickets for the summer holidays,” a low-cost carrier official said, requesting anonymity. Till last month, domestic fares were higher for travel in April, May and June 2022, even though the date of travel was more than five months.
“Once the Covid cases subside, travel will increase and so will the fares. We expect demand to increase by taking the fares to unprecedented levels for the summer of 2022. We have weathered the waves of Covid in the summer. The reason is two direct travel periods are lost. 2021 and summer 2020,” he said. Observers say advance bookings for summer travel now done will help airlines clear much-needed cash.
But not all routes are cheap. Fares on non-stop flights to destinations like Leh, Srinagar, Port Blair, Dehradun and Bagdogra, among others, are higher, while for Lucknow, Patna Are not cheap, costing Rs 8,000 for return fare.
Currently, the domestic fares are limited to a period of 15 days only. If you look at the fares on Thursday (January 13), you will find cheaper fares on flights scheduled from January 28. For example, you have a Mumbai-Goa The return fare is around Rs 3,900 while the Delhi-Mumbai return fare is Rs 4,700 (see box).
During the previous waves, the fare limit was extended for a longer period. For example, when domestic air travel began on May 25, 2020, after a two-month ban, the government capped fares for three consecutive months until August 24, 2020. Thereafter, the government continued to increase the duration of the fare cap. In September last year itself, the government had reduced the fare limit from 30 days to 15 days. But at that time, the demand for air travel was increasing and hence the fare for a journey of more than 15 days was not cheap.
In the last two weeks, however, with the rise in COVID cases, the demand for air travel has come down and so for the first time during the pandemic, cheaper fares are available for two weeks of travel.
“Not many people would like to travel now, but this is the best time to book tickets for the summer holidays,” a low-cost carrier official said, requesting anonymity. Till last month, domestic fares were higher for travel in April, May and June 2022, even though the date of travel was more than five months.
“Once the Covid cases subside, travel will increase and so will the fares. We expect demand to increase by taking the fares to unprecedented levels for the summer of 2022. We have weathered the waves of Covid in the summer. The reason is two direct travel periods are lost. 2021 and summer 2020,” he said. Observers say advance bookings for summer travel now done will help airlines clear much-needed cash.
But not all routes are cheap. Fares on non-stop flights to destinations like Leh, Srinagar, Port Blair, Dehradun and Bagdogra, among others, are higher, while for Lucknow, Patna Are not cheap, costing Rs 8,000 for return fare.
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