Airfares to Calcutta have more than doubled from some cities this weekend, as many Calcuttans are flying home for a long Diwali break.
On Wednesday afternoon, a one-way economy class ticket from Mumbai to Calcutta for a Thursday evening flight was priced above ₹27,000 — compared to the usual ₹7,000 to ₹8,000 range. Business class fares on the same flight showed ₹70,000, more than double the usual ₹30,000 to ₹35,000, according to tour operators.
The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to increase flight capacity and cap fares during the festive season. The ministry of civil aviation had earlier directed the DGCA to monitor prices and intervene if there was a surge. Airlines have informed the DGCA that they are adding more than 1,700 extra flights to meet
demand.
Despite these measures, airfares to Calcutta remained significantly higher than normal over the weekend.
“Many people working or studying in other cities return to Calcutta to celebrate Diwali with their families. This time, demand surged from Thursday onward because of the long weekend,” said Anil Punjabi of the Travel Agents Federation of India (Eastern Region). Diwali falls on Monday, October 20.
Compared to last year, fares have eased somewhat. “Last year, Mumbai-Calcutta one-way fares peaked at ₹40,000. This year, they have hovered around ₹27,000 until Sunday,” Punjabi added.
Travel agents noted sharp fluctuations in fares from cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, and Delhi.
“I was booking tickets for clients from Delhi and Mumbai this weekend. On one day, the fares spiked to nearly ₹30,000 for Mumbai-Calcutta. The previous day, it was about ₹8,000,” said Manav Soni, national managing committee member of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) for the eastern region.
He said the DGCA’s fare cap directive lacked clarity. “The DGCA mandated fare caps for the festive season but did not specify the limits, so it has not been effective,” he explained. As a result, fares remain high in many sectors, he said.
Airport officials said the number of aircraft operating in and out of Calcutta remains almost unchanged from last year. On Wednesday, 342 domestic flights operated, carrying 53,732 passengers, officials said.
Punjabi said another factor was influencing fares: “Many passengers are opting for higher-tier seats after airlines introduced premium economy classes and IndiGo launched IndiGoStretch seats. Because of this, the number of economy class seats has decreased, pushing up fares.”