The aftermath of the closure of Mumbai airport for maintenance works is the skyrocketing of airfares from tier 1 cities to Mumbai. Tickets from cities such as Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Kolkata to Mumbai show a rise of 22-65%. Bengaluru-Mumbai tickets are the only exception to this hike, where the prices show a dip of 6.5%.
A travel website Ixigo estimated that the rise could be calculated as an average of 40-45%. Since holiday seasons are around the corner, the fares are expected to continue to go high. According to a spokesperson from Ixigo, passengers can expect a further rise of 30-35% on tickets to and from Mumbai.
Ticket from Mumbai to other cities remain low
On the other hand, the ticket fares from Mumbai to other cities have dropped. Mumbai-Bengaluru flights have their tickets sold between Rs 3,919 to Rs 3,066. Mumbai-Hyderabad tickets are available for prices between Rs 2,645 to Rs 2,115. Mumbai – Kolkata route’s tickets are available for prices between Rs 4,784 to 3,916. Mumbai-Chennai tickets cost between Rs 3,316 to 3,090.
Mumbai airport main runway will open for festivals and holidays
Mumbai’s main runway is closed for six days a week, between November 4, 2019, to March 28, 2020. The main runway used to handle around 48-50 flights per hour. The secondary runway remains fully operational, but it can manage only up to 36 flights per hour. Mumbai has one of the busiest airports, and the closure has led to delays and rescheduling of flights. Around 26 flights got cancelled since the beginning of the closure. In 2018, Mumbai airport handled roughly 48.5 million passengers. On average, the airport handles about 900 flight arrivals and departures on an everyday basis.
The main runway will be opened for holidays and festivals, on January 15, February 19 and 21; March 10 and 25.
