Air fares soar this Diwali; Europe travel cheaper than domestic routes

November 13, 2012
Airplane-Take-Off

New Delhi, November 13: Dynamic pricing of air fares has led to tickets selling at crunch times, such as on eve of big festivals, for prices at which you could fly to Europe, and back. Check this out. On Diwali eve (Monday), a one-way ticket for that evening's flight from Delhi to Lucknow, barely an hour's journey, was going over Rs 30,000. A Delhi-Bangalore ticket for Tuesday was between Rs 9,500 and Rs 42,500.

That's not all. On Sunday, an economy class ticket from Mumbai to Kolkata was in the range of Rs 35,000 to Rs 43,000, and business class tickets above Rs 60,000. Similarly, flying from Delhi to Ahmedabad in economy class of full service airlines on Diwali would cost from Rs 6,500 to Rs 38,600.

With the grounding of Kingfisher accounting for a 19% reduction in domestic flights, there is suddenly a huge demand-supply gap and airlines are making the most of it. Leave aside festival eves, flying in general has become 100% costlier, and in crunch times, it could be literally touch the sky.

'Air fares within price bands'

Air fares have shot up this Diwali season. "If people haven't booked well in advance and are planning a last-minute purchase, they will have to pay through their nose. Almost all seats are sold out for Diwali travel and the remaining ones are going for the highest fares," said Anil Kalsi, a leading travel agent and senior advisor of Society of Foreign Travel Operators (India chapter).

"There has to be a rationality to market dynamics. This is plain exploitation of people's compulsion," said Rini Mukherjee, a university teacher who now explores the rail travel option before being compelled to fly. This trend isn't new. When airfares were sky-rocketing, industry regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had asked airlines to give a band of ticket prices within which it would have to sell. The airlines gave bands ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 50,000. The DGCA accepted it. A senior aviation official told TOI: "Airfares are very high but they are within the price bands that airlines submit for each route to the DGCA. So far we have not come across any case of the price band being breached."

While the price bands have now become a legal shield for airlines to charge as much as they want, the purpose for introducing them has obviously been defeated as there is hardly any correlation between actual cost and price.

"Diwali is being celebrated late this year, in mid-November. This is anyway the peak travel season and India has fewer domestic flights this time (due to Kingfisher's grounding). The net impact is fares defying gravity," said Rajji Rai, who till recently headed the Travel Agents' Association of India. Agents say fares can be expected to fall only after the December holidays. The reason: This winter is witnessing 10,935 weekly domestic flights, 19% less than the 13,541 flights last winter.

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Agencies
June 25,2020

New Delhi, Jun 25: The Congress on Thursday asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi why has not India gained anything from the "strange bonhomie" which it claimed he shared with China.

Seeking to turn the tables on the ruling party, Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera said the BJP also shared bonhomie with the Communist Party of China (CPC) with several party-level exchanges taking place in the past.

He sought to know whether India's borders have become safe after these exchanges in the last many years.

The Congress leader asked what has the country gained out of these exchange delegations and why are the borders insecure despite the bonds that the two ruling parties of India and China share with each other.

"There is a strange kind of bonhomie between Narendra Modi and China, a two decade old bonhomie. Why doesn't the country get the benefit of that bonhomie," he asked at a virtual press conference.

Khera said all that the Congress will continue to question is about the political will that just does not get visible when it comes to China.

"Whatever is happening on the border today, is it despite the bonhomie which you have with China, or is it because of the bonhomie which you have with China. The country needs to know," he asked.

"We do want to ask you, if as president of the party, Rajnath Singh, Nitin Gadkari and Amit Shah have been sending delegations,  strengthening the bonds between the Communist Party of China and the BJP. What has the country gained out of these bonds? Why are the borders insecure despite these bonds that you have," he also asked.

The ruling has hit out at the Congress for signing an MoU with China's Communist Party and has questioned its "bond" with the ruling party in China.

Khera also asked what role did the India Foundation, an organisation run by National Security Adviser Ajit Doval's son has in strengthening the bonds with China.

"Why does India Foundation keep visiting these countries? Who do they meet? What's the outcome? What's the role of NSA Ajit Doval's son- Shaurya Doval? He keeps attending these meetings through India Foundation? These are important questions in the light of what is happening," he asked.

Khera said the prime minister is showing "red eyes" to those who are asking him questions instead of showing them to the enemy.

"It is time to stand with the Army and show red eyes to China," he said.

The Congress leader said questions will be asked to Modi especially when there are definitive reports, satellite images of incursions in the Ladakh region of India by the Chinese.

He alleged that China laps up the comment of Modi and uses it across the world that the Indian prime minister says that China is in its own territory and Galwan is theirs.

"After a lot of pressure, PMO contradicted what the prime minister said. This kind of a goof up is unpardonable," he alleged.

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Agencies
August 5,2020

Ayodhya,  Aug 5: The Saryu Ghat was seen decorated ahead of the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Wednesday.

In wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, sanitisation work was also done at the Hanuman Garhi temple in the morning ahead of the Prime Minister's visit. Strict security and COVID-19 protocols will be followed at the temple.

Prime Minister Modi will perform 'pooja' at Hanuman Garhi and Shree Ramlala Virajman before performing 'bhoomi pujan' of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had informed on Tuesday.

He will unveil a plaque to mark the laying of the foundation stone and also release a commemorative postage stamp on 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.

Around 175 eminent guests have been invited for the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of the Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir. Besides Prime Minister Modi, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, Mahant Nritya Gopaldas Maharaj, Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath will be present on stage.

"175 eminent guests have been invited for the ‘bhoomi pujan’ of Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Mandir. 135 Pujya Sants belonging to 135 spiritual traditions will be present in the programme. Some eminent citizens of Ayodhya have also been invited," as per Shri Ram Janmbhoomi Teerth Kshetra.

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Agencies
February 10,2020

New delhi, Feb 10: The Supreme Court on Monday upheld the constitutional validity of the SC/ST Amendment Act, 2018, and said a court can grant anticipatory bail only in cases where a prima facie case is not made out.

A bench headed by Justice Arun Mishra said a preliminary inquiry is not essential before lodging an FIR under the act and the approval of senior police officials is not needed.

Justice Ravindra Bhat, the other member of the bench, said in a concurring verdict that every citizen needs to treat fellow citizens equally and foster the concept of fraternity.

Justice Bhat said a court can quash the FIR if a prima facie case is not made out under the SC/ST Act and the liberal use of anticipatory bail will defeat the intention of Parliament.

The top court's verdict came on a batch of PILs challenging the validity of the SC/ST Amendment Act of 2018, which was brought to nullify the effect of the apex court's 2018 ruling, which had diluted the provisions of the stringent Act.

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