"Prime Minister Modi said he wanted even those who can't afford shoes to be able to fly. But shrinking competition and high taxes are killing the promise, experts say. Salman Shahid travels frequently between Srinagar, the biggest city in Indian-administered Kashmir, and New Delhi. He runs Rise, a private coaching centre for students aspiring to join the Indian Institutes of Technology the country's premier engineering schools in Srinagar, but his family is based in New Delhi. Flying helps him save time."
"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Shahid says, a one-way flight from Srinagar to New Delhi would cost him about 3,300 rupees ($37.20) on average. Now, the same ticket is over 5,000 rupees ($56), and that, too, with very limited time options, he points out. This 50 percent surge in airfare has significantly affected his travel routine. I don't travel that frequently now, he says. Earlier, I would make at least four round-trips a month. Now, it's come down to just two."
A promise to expand affordable air travel has been undermined by rising fares, reduced competition, and high taxes. Travel between Srinagar and New Delhi illustrates the shift: typical one-way fares rose from about 3,300 rupees pre-pandemic to over 5,000 rupees, cutting frequent trips for some passengers. Sale fares once as low as 1,700 rupees are now rare. An Airports Council International study found a 43 percent increase in domestic airfares in the first half of 2024 versus 2019 and a 16 percent rise in international fares. Limited flight options and market consolidation further reduce affordability and access.
Read at www.aljazeera.com
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