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Business Standard
a day ago
- Business
- Business Standard
Air fares surge post Ahmedabad plane crash, rampant price gouging
Following the Ahmedabad plane crash, a sharp increase in air ticket prices is observed, something that can be described as price gouging, or charging excessively high rates. According to reports, nearly 41 per cent tickets have been cancelled, said Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council Chairperson Jyoti Mayal. A travel agent mentioned that a ticket, which was priced slightly above Rs 6,000 before the accident, is now being sold for around Rs 34,000. Mayal said that there has been a significant rise in ticket cancellations following the Ahmedabad plane accident. Speaking to ANI, she said, "I don't want to take names, but some airlines have increased their ticket prices. This is reportedly because flights that are running full due to cancellations have seen a spike in ticket fares. According to her information, around 41 per cent of tickets have been cancelled. However, similar trends were also noticed recently in connection with Jammu and Kashmir." She further mentioned that they are receiving queries from people asking whether the prices of exit row seats will now increase. "I would like to clarify that there is no such information yet suggesting that the fares for exit row seats have increased. She said that it is certain that most people are now demanding seats in the exit row. She also pointed out that travel agents have suffered significant losses in recent days. Whenever any adverse situation arises, the travel trade is the first to be affected," she told ANI. Roopak Punyani, owner of Delhi-based travel company Travel Canvas India Private Limited, said that apart from the overall global situation and recent tensions between India and Pakistan, the Ahmedabad accident has had a serious negative impact. Cancellations are mainly coming from the corporate sector. Most people are now ensuring that they avoid flying in Boeing aircraft, he said. While he did not directly say that this has caused a rise in ticket prices, he noted that direct flights from certain locations are no longer operating. As a result, passengers are having to pay higher fares due to having to travel on connecting flights. Saurabh Tiwari, a travel agent at Sushant Travels, Delhi, said that they are receiving a large number of flight ticket cancellation requests. Passengers are quite scared. Some travellers are even converting their air travel plans into train journeys, causing them significant inconvenience and loss. He also mentioned that cancellations have impacted ticket prices, leading to a surge. For example, a flight from Delhi to Dhaka, which used to cost around Rs 7,000 to Rs 9,000, is now priced between Rs 30,000 to Rs 34,000. According to him, airline companies have increased ticket fares, and this change is being seen due to the cancellation of Air India flights following the Ahmedabad plane accident. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
New Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Pahalgam attack: Kashmir's tourism industry fears setback, vows to recover
NEW DELHI: But, they vowed to continue supporting tourism in the union territory, despite The chairperson of the Tourism and Hospitality Skill Council (THSC), Jyoti Mayal, said that the incident is a severe blow to the combined efforts made by both government and private stakeholders to revive Kashmir's tourism sector, which had been witnessing significant growth post-COVID. Mayal said she had personally handled at least 60 cancellations for different dates up to July since the news broke. 'I spoke to a couple of hotels in Pahalgam, they are saying that they've got most bookings cancelled; more than 60 percent have already been cancelled… COVID was the time when tourism in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) started reviving after all the years of terrible times. They had no tourism, no growth. Then tourists started coming in. This incident is going to be a huge setback for the entire industry,' said Mayal, former president of the Travel Agents Association Of India (TAAI). On Wednesday, Union Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said that he had spoken with authorities and stakeholders to allow full refunds to tourists who wish to cancel their trips to the Valley in the wake of the incident. 'In light of yesterday's tragic incident in Kashmir, many tourists are understandably anxious and reconsidering their travel plans. I've spoken to the concerned authorities and urged airlines, hotels, and tour operators to allow full refunds without hassle,' he said. Following the unprecedented violence targeting tourists, tour operators and hotel owners in Kashmir are deeply concerned about the future of the tourism industry. They said the attack on tourists could devastate the sector in Kashmir. Suhail Ahmad, who owns at least three hotels in Srinagar and Pahalgam, said that killing innocent tourists would have a long-lasting impact on the union territory's economy. 'The incident is unfortunate and condemnable. This should be a proper investigation in the matter. It has never happened here. It will ruin the tourism industry in Kashmir. The UT is 90 percent dependent on tourists,' he said. Pahalgam is one of the most popular destinations in Kashmir, attracting lakhs of travelers due to its scenic locales. The town is also significant as one of the two routes to the Amarnath cave, a major pilgrimage site. In 2018, Kashmir received 8.3 lakh tourists, including 56,000 foreign nationals. The footfall dropped drastically in 2020 to just 41,000. According to the J&K Tourism Department, only 3,900 foreign tourists arrived that year. Last year, total tourist footfall in Kashmir was 29.5 lakh, with about 66,000 foreign visitors. The Central Government has invested considerable effort in recent years to promote tourism in J&K. It also organised a G20 tourism working group meeting in Srinagar in 2023 to attract international tourists. President of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), Rajiv Mehra, said that members of the association have been promoting and selling J&K tour packages and will continue to do so. 'Such terrorism activities can not affect our morality to support the tourism industry of J&K… Drastic attacks on innocent tourists will have a very negative impact on both domestic tourism to a very large extent and international tourism in J&K although international tourist arrivals are less due to advisories issued by various countries… In the short run there would be cancellations but with support of all the stakeholders we are sure tourism would bounce back,' said Mehra. Chairman of the Public Relations Council of TAAI, Rajan Sehgal, said the incident would certainly impact the upcoming season. He also called for adequate security arrangements to restore tourist confidence. 'Tulip season was very good as around eight lakh people visited the place. The flights are still going full. We have bookings for Pahalgam and other parts of Kashmir and they have not been cancelled yet… And we are getting a big support from the Travel Association from Kashmir that even the drivers are calling us saying, 'We are waiting eagerly for the customer, and we will take care of them,'' he said. Sehgal further added that the focus should be on promoting tourism in J&K during the coming season with appropriate security measures. 'There should be more security during the tourist season… there should be some security camps. So, when people go there, they will be confident. This is our humble suggestion and request,' he said. Mehra, who is also the general secretary of the Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH), said, 'There shall be some cancellations but with support from all stakeholders tourism would surely bounce back. We appeal to the Government of India, local authorities and all stakeholders to ensure swift action, restore confidence and strengthen the sense of safety and security in the region.' Meanwhile, airlines and online travel companies are offering refunds and assistance for rescheduling travel in light of recent developments. The founder-chairman of Nishant Pitti, said they have extended free change and cancellation waivers for all bookings made on or before April 22, applicable for travel until April 30. 'Additionally, we are coordinating closely with airlines and local authorities and will share regular updates. Your safety and convenience remain our top priorities,' he posted on 'X'. Air India and IndiGo also operated two additional flights from Srinagar to Delhi and Mumbai on Wednesday to ferry passengers wishing to leave the union territory. 'Customers who wish to cancel their bookings will be provided with a full refund at no additional charge for all flights departing between April 23 and 29, 2025, to/from Srinagar. Moreover, customers can make their first schedule change at no additional charge, including waiver of penalty or fare difference, for travel within seven days from their original date,' said a representative of Air Akasa. 'We are closely monitoring the situation and doing everything possible to assist our customers in every way we can. In view of the emergent situation, we have taken steps to keep the fares moderated. Our priority remains safety of our customers and offering efficient services,' read a press statement issued by IndiGo.
