Airfares Likely to Rise as Indian Airlines Cut 3,000 Weekly Flights
Airfares Likely to Rise as Indian Airlines Cut 3,000 Weekly Flights
Indian airlines trim capacity for summer as fares brace for rise, with 12% fewer weekly flights and removal of fare caps amid rising fuel costs.
Indian airlines are trimming capacity for the upcoming summer, with about 3,000 fewer flights scheduled weekly than last year, as rising costs and uncertainty from the West Asia crisis bite into operating plans.
Officials say the summer schedule, due to start March 29 and run through October 31, will see around 22,600 weekly flights, down from 25,610 in the previous summer—a drop of roughly 12%.
Alongside thinner routes, the industry is scrapping fare caps and bracing for higher costs from fuel and foreign exchange, which airlines warn will push ticket prices higher even as demand fluctuates.
IndiGo, the country's largest carrier, has outlined starting the domestic summer timetable with nearly 2,000 daily flights in April, though the overall deployment will depend on the evolving Middle East situation and cost pressures.
Travelers should expect a cautious summer for air travel, with carriers closely monitoring demand and recalibrating capacity to balance rising costs with any bounce in bookings.
