26 May 2020  |   06:04am IST

Air fares fly high as skies open

Passengers will have to burn a hole in their pocket as fares are higher than expected at a time when the world is facing a severe recession

Team Herald

PANJIM: Passengers flying from Red Zone-Mumbai, where COVID-19 cases continue to surge, will have to burn a hole in their pocket as air fares are higher than expected at a time when the world is facing severe recession due to the pandemic. 

Amidst uproar and criticism over resuming domestic passenger service flights, hundreds of passengers from different cities in the country -- which are obviously reporting more COVID-19 cases than Goa -- landed at Dabolim Airport on Monday. 

As per a travel booking site, a 40-45 minutes air travel from Mumbai was charged at Rs 17,567 approximately per person for May 25. The rates drop to Rs 15,229 on May 26 and Rs 10,189 on May 27 whereas the fare for the next two days remains at Rs 10,289; Rs 10,289 approximately. The weekend rates further drop to Rs 7,012 and Rs 9, 769 on May 30 and 31 respectively. 

The following month will witness further drop in rates to around Rs 2,500 to Rs 3,000 approximately per person. 

Flight charges from an another COVID-19 hotspot Chennai to Goa was minimum Rs 6,296 on May 25 while passengers flying on May 26 will have to shell out Rs 12,019 and Rs 6,296 for the following day. The fares from May 28-29 are around Rs 5,849 and Rs 5,928 for the trip to Goa during the weekend. 

On the other hand, Bengaluru to Goa recorded Rs 4,010 per person on May 25 with a jump to Rs 11,099 for travelling on May 26. Whereas the rates from May 27 to 31 is around Rs 4,010; and the fares is likely to further drop up to Rs 1,819 in the second half of June.   

Likewise, flying from New Delhi to Goa is charged between Rs 5,869 to Rs 6,120 approximately till May 31 while Hyderabad is slightly on a higher side as charges varies between Rs 7,149 and Rs 12,772 and Rs 6,052 till the month-end.