The airlines industry has also not spared the prices of tickets, which are more than double or triple the price of tickets ahead of Diwali. Tickets between Chennai and Coimbatore, which are usually sold for Rs.4,000, are sold for up to Rs.14,000.
Coimbatore: This year, Diwali will be celebrated across the country on October 24. Various special buses and special trains will be operated so that people can travel to their native places without any difficulty.
In this situation, ticket bookings are also going on briskly on flights from Coimbatore to Chennai, Bengaluru and Mumbai.
In view of Deepavali festival, the fares of flights operating from Coimbatore on both the routes have increased manifold.
Airport officials said, “It is customary to book tickets on all flights every year on festive days, including Diwali. As per the requirement, airlines will also take steps to start additional flights on the existing routes.
At present, there are seven flights to Chennai, four to Delhi, three to Mumbai, three to Hyderabad, two to Pune and two to Bengaluru. Apart from this, Sharjah and Singapore are also provided with one flight each.
A private travel company said, “While flights are offered from Coimbatore to various cities, ticket bookings for flights operating between Chennai, Mumbai and Delhi during the festive season will be very brisk.
This year, on the occasion of Deepavali, tickets between Chennai and Coimbatore, which are usually sold for Rs.4,000, are being sold for up to Rs.14,000.
Especially on October 22, during the day, the flight fare from Chennai to Coimbatore will be Rs.13,800. It is being sold for Rs.12,800 for night travel on the same day.
Tickets that are usually sold for Rs.5,000 on a flight between Mumbai and Coimbatore are now sold at a minimum of over Rs.10,000. A maximum of Rs.20,000 is being sold for a ticket.
A flight operating between Coimbatore and Mumbai sells air tickets with a host of amenities including ordinary class, business class, premium etc.
Tickets between Delhi and Coimbatore, which are usually sold for Rs.7,500, are sold for a maximum of Rs.11,500.
Ticket bookings will remain as usual even when two flights will be operated between Coimbatore and Bengaluru. This is because many people travel by road rather than by air. After Diwali, the fee will return to normal.”
Many customers have opined that the government has to intervene and bring a ceiling for charges during festival times like the TN government has done this time for buses.