Netizens show frustration over sudden surge in airfare

Netizens have turned to social media to express their frustration and concern over the sudden surge in airfare prices.

Hyderabad: Netizens have turned to social media to express their frustration and concern over the sudden surge in airfare prices. They have been questioning if this surge is due to the devastating train crash in Odisha.

Users have been tweeting about the hike in prices of tickets and comparing the costs of airfares. The prices seem to have been raised by thrice the amount in just a day.

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A non-stop one-way ticket from Kolkata to Hyderabad has gone up to almost Rs 20,000 and Rs 25,000 from Kolkata to Bengaluru.

Mohammed Zubair, a fact checker, took his experience of booking tickets to his Twitter by adding pictures of the fares. “Yesterday when I checked flight tickets from Kolkata to Bengaluru, it showed 6.5K-7.5K. Got busy with work and forgot to book. Today when I checked, the flight ticket prices are 2-3 times more. Is this after the train accident?” he tweeted.

Yesterday when I checked flight tickets from Kolkata to Bengaluru, It showed 6.5K-7.5K. Got busy with work and forgot to book.
Today when I checked, The flight ticket prices are 2-3 times more.
Is this after the train accident @IndiGo6E @airasia?
C'C : @DGCAIndia @MoCA_GoI pic.twitter.com/b0MItAJjcV

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) June 3, 2023

He also added screenshots of the pop-ups he received while booking the tickets, which mentions the increase in the price of the ticket and the updated price for the same.

Pop-ups while booking tickets. pic.twitter.com/o5tHWIOdU1

— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) June 3, 2023

Arun Bothra, an IPS officer from Odisha, has also shared a screenshot of the airfare prices from Kolkata to Bengaluru on his Twitter.

“Taking advantage of train accident at Balasore some operators increased fares for Kolkata bound buses. @STAOdisha immediately intervened & penalised them. Airlines, however, fleece distressed people with impunity. Airfares shoot up after every such emergency,” he noted in his tweet.

Taking advantage of #TrainAccident at Balasore some operators increased fare for Kolkata bound buses. @STAOdisha immediately intervened & penalised them.

Airlines, however, fleece distressed people with impunity. Air fares shoot up after every such emergency. pic.twitter.com/Ltw7BEGVin

— Arun Bothra 🇮🇳 (@arunbothra) June 4, 2023

Many other netizens related to these tweets and added their views while a few disagreed.

“Same unaccounted /unwarranted surge just as I was in the process of finalising – Vijayawada to Pune. It just increased by 1.5k as I was booking!” wrote a user

Same unaccounted /unwarranted surge judt as i was in the process of finalising – Vijayawada to Pune. It's judt increased by 1.5k judt as I was booking!

— Siddesh Sarma (@SiddeshSarma) June 4, 2023

“Same type of exploitive surge was showing for Delhi to Ranchi flights. The minimum fare was Rs 27k for non-stop flights. This went on rising even breaching Rs 40k. Train tickets are anyways always in the waiting list or unavailable to book…,” added a second user sharing his experience.

Same type of exploitive surge was showing for Delhi to Ranchi flights.

The minimum fare was ₹27k for non-stop flights. This went on rising even breaching ₹40k.

Train tickets are anyways always in waiting list or unavailable to book…

😥😥😥

— Rahul Soren🐋 (@rahulsoren) June 4, 2023

However, another user had a different opinion and explaining the logic behind the surge price, he wrote: “I don’t think it’s because of emergency situation. Airfares are high if you want to book an immediate flight. The cheapest flight to Mumbai from Nagpur to Mumbai for tomorrow is 7.5k and then it goes up to 16k.”

I don't think it's because of emergency situation. Air fares are high if you want to book an immediate flight. The cheapest flight to mumbai from Nagpur to mumbai for tomorrow is 7.5k and then it goes up to 16k.

— Tushar Singh (@singh__tushar95) June 4, 2023