Indians prepare for summer travel despite heat waves, soaring fares: Report

IMD expects May 2024 to record a higher than normal number of heat wave days in various parts of the country

As summer approaches, Indians are gearing up for travel, undeterred by heat waves and rising airfares, as school vacations and annual holidays begin, according to a report by Mint.

The air travel sector, which experienced a surge in April, is anticipated to witness further growth as more travellers plan trips for May and June.

Heat waves in India in May 2024

Earlier this month,  the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) predicted to record above normal numbers of heatwave days in May 2024. According to the Met Department, there may be eight days recording heat waves in various parts of the country.

An earlier report by Reuters stated that eastern parts of India, including West Bengal, Odisha, experienced its hottest April on record.

Surge in air ticket prices for May 2024

While there is a heightened demand for cooler destinations, warm locales are also attracting interest. This high demand has resulted in elevated fares for flights, both domestically and internationally.

Advance average airfares for popular domestic routes such as Delhi-Goa and Mumbai-Jaipur have seen notable increases compared to last year, Mint noted.

Delhi-Goa flights in May might cost around Rs 5,800 per traveller (six per cent higher than a year ago), while Mumbai-Jaipur flights are 19 per cent higher this year. The air fare for the Delhi-Dharamshala route rose by more than 20 per cent to Rs 7,200.

Similarly, international trips recorded a rise in average advance fares by 10-30 per cent  to destinations like Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bhutan from various Indian cities.

The report also added that air travel in May might witness exceptionally high domestic air traffic, ranging between 13-14 million passengers.

Despite challenges such as worldwide aircraft shortage leading to higher lease rates and delayed deliveries, air passenger traffic in India continues to climb. April witnessed record-breaking 13.3 million domestic air travel passengers, surpassing pre-pandemic levels, with expectations of sustained momentum in May.

The shift in Indian travellers’ mindset post-Covid restrictions easing has contributed to the surge in demand. Travellers are now seizing any opportunity to explore, making travel more frequent than before.