Chennai flight fares have risen several times ahead of the four-day holiday period around Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami, as residents travel to their hometowns and tourist destinations, according to a report by Dinamalar.
Ayudha Puja will be celebrated on October 19 and Vijayadashami on October 20. With the festivals falling alongside the weekend, the resulting continuous holiday period has increased demand for travel from Chennai.
The surge is being reported across several domestic routes from the city. Airfares to destinations including Thoothukudi, Coimbatore, Salem, Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Vijayawada, Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata have increased significantly, the report said.
The higher demand is not limited to air travel. Trains and buses departing from Chennai for outstation destinations are also witnessing heavy passenger crowds as people leave the city for family visits and holiday trips.
The increase in flight fares adds pressure to passengers who are choosing air travel amid limited availability across other transport modes. The report did not provide route-wise fare comparisons or specify the extent of the increase on individual flights.
The holiday rush reflects the way festival calendars can quickly intensify demand across Chennai’s transport network. Passengers travelling during the period are facing higher airfares while rail and bus services are also experiencing increased occupancy, according to the report.
