PANAJI
Air fares out of Goa have risen sharply ahead of Holi, with passengers travelling to Mumbai and Delhi facing a double squeeze ” festive demand at home and disruption in international aviation following the recent United States“Israel strikes on Iran.
While domestic flights have largely continued without cancellations, industry insiders say restrictions and suspensions on some international routes have had a ripple effect.
With flights to parts of West Asia reduced and aircraft rotations adjusted, airlines are reworking capacity across their networks. At the same time, Holi travel has pushed demand much higher.
Mumbai & Delhi Prices Soar
On March 3, fares from Goa to Mumbai were listed at Rs 6,930 and Rs 7,297 for standard bookings, while the higher end crossed Rs 15,000.
Some unavoidable layovers stretched up to 16 hours and even 26 hours.
On the Goa“Delhi route, March 3 tickets were priced at around Rs 7,904 for regular connections, while the highest fares climbed to Rs 16,848 and above, usually with layovers of at least nine hours.
“Festival travel always pushes fares up, but this time the volatility is more pronounced. When international flights are cancelled or rerouted, airlines adjust fleet deployment. Even if domestic routes are running, pricing can harden because overall capacity is managed tightly,” an agent from Nirwan Travels said, adding, “These fares exclude convenience and other additional charges by the airlines.”
Bengaluru and Other Routes
Flights to Bengaluru on March 4 started at Rs 3,534, closer to normal levels, but rose to Rs 4,000 and above Rs 9,000 depending on timing and layovers.
For March 3, fares were around Rs 4,000, with the highest options exceeding Rs 12,000.
Other routes have remained relatively stable, though slightly higher than usual. Goa“Jaipur on March 3 was priced at Rs 8,458. Goa“Coimbatore stood at Rs 4,334 on March 3 and remained almost unchanged on March 4.
Hyderabad fares were Rs 6,642 on March 3 and Rs 6,748 the following day.
Trains Offer Little Relief
As air fares continue to fluctuate, trains are offering little relief. Services to several destinations are running full, with waiting lists growing across all classes.
From Sleeper coaches to First AC, confirmation chances are slim on many routes for the next few weeks.
Railway booking agents said even waitlisted tickets are rising quickly.
“People who hoped to avoid expensive flights are now finding trains equally uncertain,” an official of SVM Holidays said.
