Ahmedabad: Airfares from Ahmedabad to Kolkata have risen sharply, with one-way ticket prices touching Rs 17,000-22,000 on election dates. The rise is a result of election travel, the ongoing IPL matches and peak holiday demand. Hike in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices has further impacted fares.Disha Basu, a professional in Ahmedabad, who booked herself an April 25 flight to Kolkata 10 days ago for a work trip, said, “A one-way ticket from Ahmedabad to Kolkata cost me upwards of Rs 20,000. I understand the dynamic pricing policy, but paying for this really burnt a hole in my pocket.” The high fares are not limited to a single route. Direct round-trip economy fares from Ahmedabad to other major destinations too have gone up. When booked a week to 10 days in advance, tickets to Bengaluru are hovering around Rs 9,000, while Delhi fares are close to Rs 8,800. Flights to Chandigarh are among the steepest at roughly Rs 14,000. Even the typically competitive Mumbai route has firmed up to about Rs 6,500 per person for a one-way ticket.“Multiple demand drivers have aligned at the same time: elections, IPL travel and summer holidays. Capacity additions have not kept pace, which is pushing fares higher across sectors. This is disrupting summer travel plans of many customers,” said Manish Sharma, a travel expert in Ahmedabad. With flexible travel dates narrowing and last-minute bookings rising, fares for leisure travellers are higher than the averages. particularly on high-demand days and weekends.
