Airfares soar, Railways cash in with more coaches to attract flyers

On Friday (November 16) evening, several travel portals showed a sharp rise in spot airfares

A closed runway at the Delhi airport has prompted the railways to increase coaches in its trains between Mumbai and New Delhi to attract flyers as airfare skyrocketed by 86 per cent since the closure on November 15, senior officials said Tuesday.

Runway 27/09 has been closed for “preventive repairs” for 13 days starting November 15 at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA), operated by DIAL which is the busiest aerodrome in the country and has three runways.

“According to estimates we have received, around 100 flights are being cancelled per day. The ticket prices have surged. We are just giving passengers