ATF price hike: Flights from Nagpur now costlier

Nagpur: Airfares from Nagpur have risen noticeably for cities like Mumbai, Delhi, and even Hyderabad, which is geographically closer than the other two. Tickets now range between Rs6,500 and Rs7,000, up from the usual Rs5,500 for bookings made just a week ago.The increase is being linked to the 25% hike in aviation turbine fuel (ATF) prices implemented on Wednesday. For some other destinations, fares remain close to their previous levels, according to a quick check of booking apps on Thursday.TOI checked the prices on various booking apps and the hike was visible. For example, flights to Delhi this month now cost Rs7,000-7,400, whereas they typically range between Rs5,500 and Rs6,000, even for closer dates, said said sources in travel agency business. Fares to Mumbai are in the Rs6,200-6,400 range through the second week of May, about Rs1,000 higher than normal, say travel operators.Tickets to Pune are above Rs6,400 for most of April, dropping back to around Rs5,500 in May. Flights to Hyderabad also exceed Rs6,400. There are certain exceptions, though. For example, flights to Goa stay under Rs5,000 in April and May, while fares to Ahmedabad and Bengaluru remain below Rs6,000.Raju Akolkar, president of the Nagpur chapter of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), confirmed the fare hike. "Normally, tickets to Mumbai and Delhi this month would be around Rs5,500. This increase seems to be due to the ATF price impact," he said.Akolkar added that the war in West Asia has disrupted vacation plans, especially for European tours, as Indian travellers often transit through the Gulf via carriers like Emirates, Etihad, and Qatar Airways. The conflict has caused erratic schedules, affecting travel plans.An official from AVM Tours and Travels said consumers are now preferring to fly to eastward destinations due to the crisis in West Asia. "Bookings for the Gulf have been completely stopped on our end," he said.