Onam airfare surge: Skyrocketing ticket prices hit Kerala NRIs as airlines hike rates threefold

Mattannur (Kerala): Taking advantage of Onam and the reopening of schools in Gulf countries, airlines have, as usual, resorted to daylight robbery. Ticket fares have been hiked up to threefold. Due to having fewer services compared to other airports, ticket prices are even higher at Kannur Airport.

Since schools in the Gulf reopen after the summer vacation, a large number of people travel back after visiting home in August and September. Anticipating this, airlines are inflating prices online well in advance. Because of dynamic pricing, where rates increase as demand surges, those planning last-minute travel are forced to pay three to four times the usual amount. This hike comes over and above the fuel surcharge levied under the pretext of rising aviation fuel prices.

During last year’s Onam season, ticket fares to the Gulf soared between ₹30,000 and ₹85,000. However, travel agency staff noted that this time rates have increased by ₹35,000 to ₹45,000.

Between August 15 and September 15, fares to most Gulf countries exceed ₹40,000. For Dammam, which has no direct flights from Kannur, the fare from Kozhikode is over ₹45,000. On August 22, the fare from Kannur to Abu Dhabi stands at ₹51,827. Only Muscat offers relatively lower rates, ranging from ₹20,000 to ₹26,000.

Domestic routes have also seen price hikes to exploit those returning home for Onam. On the Kannur–Bengaluru route, where normal fares start at ₹3,480, rates will be up to three times higher from the 21st. The return fare to Bengaluru, which usually starts at ₹3,500, reached up to ₹12,000 this month. Fares remain high on the Mumbai, Delhi and Hyderabad routes as well.

Although the State Government announced chartered flight services and an airline in the cooperative sector to curb this exploitation, nothing has materialised. Meanwhile, the Central Government maintains the stance that fares are determined by the airlines and it cannot intervene.

Airfares from Kannur to various Gulf Countries on August 22

(In previous years, rates had risen up to ₹35,000)