Year-end fares go through the roof as airlines fly on low capacity

More than 75 planes are grounded; Goa to see 11% fewer flights in December

On October 19, at the peak of this year’s Diwali rush, flights on the Delhi-Mumbai sector were completely sold out. The festival period leading up to Christmas and New Year may see a similar situation, with most domestic airlines planning to operate fewer flights, as over 75 planes of major carriers are grounded due to engine supply or maintenance issues.

Airlines have scheduled fewer flights on not just the busy Delhi-Mumbai route, but also on other key domestic routes such as Delhi-Goa, Delhi-Srinagar, Hyderabad-Bengaluru, and Delhi-Patna in December.

The capacity crunch, coupled with high fuel prices due to the Russia-Ukraine