Chennai, 23 December (H.S.) : Passengers traveling from Chennai to southern districts are facing severe hardships as airfares have skyrocketed up to three times the normal rates due to the year-end festive rush.

With schools and colleges closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays, a massive surge in travelers heading to their hometowns has led to several direct flights being completely sold out. Destinations such as Thoothukudi, Madurai, Tiruchi, Salem, and Coimbatore are seeing the highest demand, leaving many commuters stranded or forced to pay exorbitant prices for indirect routes.

According to airport authorities, direct flight tickets to Thoothukudi for Wednesday and Thursday are no longer available. This has compelled passengers to book connecting flights via Bengaluru or Thiruvananthapuram, which significantly increases both travel time and costs.

For instance, while the regular one-way fare from Chennai to Thoothukudi is approximately four thousand one hundred rupees, the price for a flight via Bengaluru has surged to thirteen thousand four hundred rupees. Similarly, travel to Tiruchi, which usually costs around four thousand one hundred rupees, is now priced at over thirteen thousand eight hundred rupees for indirect sectors.

The situation is equally dire for those traveling to Madurai and Salem, where fares have jumped from their usual range to over thirteen thousand and eight thousand rupees respectively. Travelers have expressed deep frustration over the lack of direct connectivity and the sudden price hike.

Many have urged airlines and civil aviation authorities to operate additional special flights to handle the seasonal congestion. Despite the high costs, the passenger traffic at Chennai International Airport continues to climb as people scramble to reach their destinations for the holidays.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Dr. R. B. Chaudhary