Chennai airport faced a heavy rush on Monday as passengers returned from cities and towns across Tamil Nadu ahead of offices and educational institutions reopening on Tuesday, with limited availability pushing domestic airfares sharply higher on several routes.
The domestic terminals recorded large numbers of returning passengers travelling from Thoothukudi, Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore and Salem, as well as from Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Bhubaneswar. Tickets on most routes from Tamil Nadu to Chennai were reported to have sold out, according to Deccan Chronicle.
The fare increases were particularly steep on some intra-state routes. Tickets from Thoothukudi, which normally cost Rs. 7,045, were available at Rs. 17,639. The usual fare from Tiruchy of Rs. 4,954 rose to Rs. 14,666, while fares from Madurai increased from Rs. 4,673 to Rs. 11,877.
Passengers travelling from Salem also faced a substantial increase, with fares rising from the normal Rs. 3,832 to Rs. 13,098. From Coimbatore, the fare increased from Rs. 4,350 to Rs. 6,870.
The fare escalation was also reported on routes connecting Chennai with major cities outside Tamil Nadu. Tickets from Delhi were priced at Rs. 15,100, compared with the usual fare of Rs. 10,167. Fares from Mumbai rose from Rs. 6,160 to Rs. 11,808, while fares from Kolkata increased from Rs. 7,681 to Rs. 9,048.
The rush was not limited to air travel. People returned to Chennai by buses, trains, private vehicles and flights as workplaces and educational establishments prepared to reopen. The concentration of passengers at the airport reflected the wider movement of residents returning to the state capital after travelling to their native places.
Despite the higher ticket prices, air passengers arrived in Chennai in large numbers. The reported fare levels and sold-out tickets underlined the pressure on available seats during the concentrated return journey, particularly on routes linking Chennai with major urban centres and regional cities in Tamil Nadu.
The report did not cite any airline or airport authority statement on additional flights, fare controls or operational measures. Passenger movement and ticket availability on the affected routes remained the immediate factors shaping travel options for those returning to Chennai.
