Airlines tap Kumbh Mela travel demand

SpiceJet flying seven daily services between Delhi-Varanasi till March 17, adding 3 extra flights this month

Airlines are cashing on the surge in travel demand for Mahakumbh adding flights to Varanasi.  SpiceJet is flying seven daily services between Delhi-Varanasi till March 17 adding three extra flights this month and GoAir plans to operate 4-5 special flights on the same route during the same period.

The Kumbh Mela is expected to draw close to ten crore visitors which include  pilgrims, politicians, celebrities and corporates from around the world and airports at Varanasi and Allahabad are buzzing with jets from earlier this month. The demand for travel is highest on six days when pilgrims take a holy dip in the river Ganga.

"We have added flights on Delhi-Varanasi route  till March 17. On average we get 85% loads on the route and now the flights are going full. It is a strong sector for us," an executive from SpiceJet said.

The airline uses both 737s and turboprop Q400 on the route. Besides it has also introduced two daily flights between Delhi-Allahabad sector to cater to the demand. Air India too is operating an extra flight from Delhi-Allahabad on Sunday.

GoAir does not have a regular service to Varanasi but will be flying 4-5 flights on Delhi-Varanasi route  using an AIrbus A320 plane. "We have sought Directorate General of Civil Aviation permission for the additional flights and hope to begin from February 18," an executive said.

Fares from Delhi to Lucknow, Varanasi, Kanpur and Allahabad have zoomed with soaring travel demand. "One way tickets which cost around Rs 4,000 earlier now cost any where from Rs 6,000-15,000 during the Kumbh mela period. About 30% of the visitors are from abroad half of which include NRIs or people of Indian origin," said Richa Goyal Sikri, direcor of Stic Travel group

Airport Authority of India (AAI) manages Varanasi airport. "We have 15 scheduled movements and  now we have daily 5-6 charter movements,'' an official from Varanasi airport said. Allahabad airport is under the control of Indian Air Force and has restrictions with regarding to parking and operations and hence many charters are flying into Varanasi which is 120 kms away.