What is the story about?
With Holi just days away, many people are trying to travel home to celebrate with their families. However, flight tickets have become very expensive, especially
for travel around Saturday, February 28, the weekend before Holi. Train tickets are already fully booked on many routes. As a result, more people are trying to book flights, which has pushed prices up sharply. On some routes, ticket prices are up to 185% higher than normal. Amid this, Bengaluru to Gorakhpur ticket prices have surged to Rs 19,589.
What Passengers Are Saying
A user named Akshat wrote on X: "During the Holi festival, flight ticket prices have gone insanely high. For middle-class, it’s becoming extremely difficult to travel home and celebrate with loved ones. Trains are fully booked, and flights from Bangalore to Varanasi are almost double the usual price."
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Supreme Court Raises Concern
Flight ticket prices usually shoot up during festivals like Holi and Diwali, and this has been a common problem for many years. Recently, the Supreme Court expressed worry over these high prices, calling it a serious matter. The court has ordered the government to explain within four weeks what they are doing to stop airlines from charging so much. However, the next court date is March 23, which is after Holi, reported India Today. This means travelers will not get any help with prices this year and will still have to pay very expensive fares to get home.
Why Airfares Increase Before Festivals
Air ticket prices rise before festivals like Holi and Diwali because:
- Many people travel from big cities like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru to towns in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and West Bengal.
- Airlines use dynamic pricing: It often happens that airlines surge prices when maximum seats are booked.
Examples of Fare Differences
Comparisons between February 28 (Holi rush) and March 28 (normal period) according to media report analysis:Delhi to Patna: Feb 28: Rs 11,056 | Mar 28: Rs 4,502 (145% higher)
Delhi to Gaya: Feb 28: Rs 11,720 | Mar 28: Rs 4,499 (160% increase)
Bengaluru to Patna: Feb 28: Rs 15,585 | Mar 28: Rs 7,500 (Over 100% higher)
Delhi to Kolkata: Feb 28: Rs 9,989 | Mar 28: Rs 4,799 (Nearly double)
Bengaluru to Gorakhpur: Feb 28: Rs 19,589 | Mar 29: Much cheaper
Delhi to Gorakhpur: Feb 28: Rs 8,563 | Mar 28: Rs 2,999 (185% difference)
Airlines and Authorities
Major airlines like IndiGo and SpiceJet are charging higher fares due to extreme demand. While airfares in India are not government-controlled, the aviation regulator has asked airlines to add more flights. Last year, 1,700 extra flights were added during Diwali, but prices remained high.
Airfares spike annually before Holi and return to normal once the rush ends. For late bookings, traveling home has become a significant financial burden, with some tickets costing triple their usual price.
