Skyrocketing fares, flight cuts disrupt summer travel plan

Nagpur: Flight cancellations, reduced frequencies, and soaring airfares have disrupted travel plans for thousands heading from Nagpur to Mumbai, Pune, and Bengaluru after the summer break, particularly students.The Nagpur-Mumbai route has been among the worst affected. Economy fares on direct IndiGo flights for mid-June have climbed to nearly ₹6,600, well above the usual ₹4,000 range. Most direct Air India services on the route remain suspended, leaving passengers dependent on connecting flights with long layovers — some costing upwards of ₹14,000.Travellers to Pune face limited connectivity, with only two direct flights operating daily. Several alternatives involve layovers stretching up to 10 hours. On the Bengaluru route, the only active direct Air India flight is fully booked, while connections routed through Delhi are priced between ₹15,000 and ₹30,000.The disruptions have triggered a rush toward alternative travel. Rakshit Chotani, a law student at a Mumbai college, said the fare surge had created uncertainty for those returning after vacation. "Usually, taking a flight between Nagpur and Mumbai is convenient and affordable, but prices have increased sharply. With colleges reopening simultaneously, getting confirmed train seats is also becoming difficult," he said.Akhilesh Deotale, a management student in Bengaluru, said fares were beyond the reach of most flyers. "Direct flights are either unavailable or fully booked. Spending ₹15,000 to ₹30,000 on a one-way journey is simply not viable," he said.Travel operators said the disruption has also affected holiday packages. Nagpur-based travel agent Vijay Sawarkar said the fare surge had hurt bookings across the board. "Even trains are full. Customers are willing to pay more, but tickets are simply unavailable," he said.With the Samruddhi Expressway operational and premium rail services such as Vande Bharat and Duronto available, surface transport has emerged as the more reliable — if increasingly crowded — alternative amid volatile airline schedules.