Airlines slash fares in Diwali fortnight
Airlines are offering a Diwali bonanza to travellers in the form of sharp fare cuts, a sign that demand for plane seats in the festival season is weak.
Typically, fares in the fortnight leading up to Diwali and in the quarter leading up to 10 January are among the highest in the year, helping airlines compensate for the losses they sustain in the lean seasons.
This year is different. One-way economy fares from Delhi to Mumbai are now selling for ₹2,000, all inclusive. These used to go for about ₹5,000-8,000 in the fortnight before Diwali, which this year falls on 19 October.
Essentially, there are more seats chasing fewer passengers and fares have dropped 40-50%.
A search on online travel agent MakeMyTrip.com shows fares across routes have dropped; airlines like SpiceJet and GoAir are offering the cheapest fares.
Vistara too announced on Tuesday evening a 48-hour sale offering all-inclusive fares starting at ₹1,149 in the economy class and ₹2,099 in premium economy. Bookings will open at midnight on Tuesday and be open till Friday for travel between October 26 and March 24.
“Through this sale, customers have one final opportunity this year to book their travel for the holiday season at amazing fares,” Sanjiv Kapoor, Vistara’s chief strategy and commercial officer, said in a statement.
IndiGo, Air India and Jet Airways declined comments.