That's so unfare

Rise in air ticket prices after AI strike has forced Mumbaikars to rethink Diwali vacation plans

Rise in air ticket prices after AI strike has forced Mumbaikars to rethink Diwali vacation plans

Sunita Davar from Andheri was looking forward to her trip to Delhi with her family this Diwali. However, her dreams crashed after pilots of Jet Airways and Air India went on strike.
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This meant other airlines immediately capitalised on the situation and hiked their fares (see box).

Every year, fares are hiked about two weeks before Diwali, as it is peak season for airlines.

But this year, due to the strikes, airlines have hiked their fares a month before the festival. Rates are only expected to go higher as Diwali approaches.

This unexpected rise has many Mumbaikars calling off their plans. Said Davar, a housewife, "We are already facing a salary cut due to recession.

No Rush: Even after the Air India strike was called off yesterday, there were few takers for tickets.

The hike in airfare has made us think twice about our vacation plans."

Echoed Amit Jadhav from Bandra, "Looking at the booming air fare, we have decided to not travel by air this vacation. And you never know when the pilots of some other airline will go on strike."

50 per cent drop

Tour operators say people are reluctant to book in advance, due to the strikes. "Travellers are reluctant to make any pre-bookings for vacations due to the high ticket fares.

Our business has gone down by 50 per cent in Mumbai and Pune," said Mehboob Mohammed Shaikh, manager of Travel Voyages India Pvt Ltd.

Agreed Manoj Gursahani, secretary of Travel Agents Federation Of India. "When swine flu hit the city, schools were shut down.

This caused many schools to shorten Diwali vacations and schedule exams after Diwali. That had already cut into our business. This rise in fares has added to our woes," he said.

Hike in fares

One-way fares (per person) for Mumbaiu2013Delhi route after the Jet Airways and AI strike

Spice Jet: Hiked from Rs 4,000 to Rs 8,000

Indigo: Hiked from Rs 5,000 to Rs 9,000

Kingfisher: Hiked from Rs 8,000 to Rs 11,000

The strike at a glance

239
The total number of flights that had to be cancelled due to the AI pilots' strike

111
The number of flights that had to be cancelled yesterday, the fifth day of
the strike

11
The number of pilots who reported sick on Saturday

200
The AI executive pilots who reported sick since Saturday, the first day of the strike

300
The total number of executive pilots in AI

1,200
The total number of pilots
in Air India

60
The percentage of Air India's revenues that come from flying to foreign destinations

Rs 16,500 crore
Air India's debt. That is more than the burden on the state treasury after the implementation of the farmers' loan waiver and the Sixth Pay Commission

Rs 7,200 crore
Air India's losses till March 31, 2009. That is the total budget allocation for the Ministry of Women and Child Development this year

The agitation

The Air India agitation began last week on September 26 after the management's announced its decision to slash the productivity-linked incentives of employees by 25 to 50 per cent as part of several other cost-cutting measures.