Airfares soar as Ayudha Puja holiday rush builds up

Chennai : A sharp rise in airfares ahead of the Ayudha Puja and Vijayadashami holidays has left passengers travelling from Chennai facing higher expenses, as demand surges for journeys to hometowns and tourist destinations.

With Ayudha Puja falling on October 19 and Vijayadashami on October 20, the adjoining weekend offers a four-day holiday break for many travellers.

The extended holiday has prompted a rush out of the city, putting pressure on flights, trains and buses. Air ticket prices from Chennai to several destinations have increased manifold amid the holiday demand.

Passengers heading to cities within Tamil Nadu, neighbouring states and major metropolitan centres are among those affected by the steep fares. Routes witnessing the increase include Chennai–Thoothukudi, Chennai–Coimbatore and Chennai–Salem.

Fares have also risen for flights to Thiruvananthapuram, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Vijayawada, affecting passengers travelling across southern India during the festive break.

The surge extends to longer routes, with tickets from Chennai to Mumbai, Delhi and Kolkata also becoming considerably more expensive. The increase across multiple destinations has added to the financial burden of passengers planning festive visits or short holidays.

The holiday rush is visible across other modes of transport as well. Trains and buses leaving Chennai are experiencing heavy crowds, as large numbers of residents seek to reach their destinations ahead of the celebrations.

For passengers considering air travel amid the crowded surface transport services, the higher ticket prices have made the journey more costly.

The demand for flights coincides with the broader movement of people leaving Chennai for the extended break. The convergence of festival travel and weekend leisure trips has intensified the outward rush.

While many passengers are returning to their native places to celebrate with relatives, others are using the consecutive holidays to visit tourist destinations. The fare increases affect both short domestic journeys and travel to distant cities, leaving passengers on a wide range of routes facing substantially higher ticket costs during the same holiday period.

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The Hans India