The cancellations and delays of IndiGo flights across its network have not only stranded tens of thousands of passengers nationwide but also sent airfares soaring to abnormal levels.

In sectors like Mumbai and Delhi, fares booked a day in advance were around three times the usual rates. Travel agents and officials from other airlines said direct flights on most major routes were almost fully booked.

A UK-based businessman, currently in Delhi, has to be in Calcutta for a one-night business meeting on Saturday. Normally unconcerned about flight bookings, he struggled on Thursday to find a seat and was shocked by the timings and fares. A return fare on Air India Express between Delhi and Calcutta (arriving December 6, returning December 7) was around ₹42,000 — compared to the usual ₹15,000.

“The flight will first take him to Bagdogra with a 4-hour 25-minute layover. He will start from Delhi at 8am and reach Calcutta at 4pm,” said a friend. Normally, the journey takes about two hours.

On the Delhi-Mumbai route, a one-way fare on Friday was nearly ₹40,000 on Thursday evening — more than double the usual rate.

“From Calcutta to cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, airfares are more than double and sometimes three times the normal rate. Many clients are deferring holiday travel because of these spikes,” said Anil Punjabi, chairman of the Travel Agents Federation of India, eastern region.

A Calcutta businessman in his mid-40s, whose mother is undergoing surgery in Hyderabad, faced a similar problem. His IndiGo flight booked four days ago for ₹7,500, scheduled at 8pm Thursday, was deferred to early Friday morning. He bought a new ticket at ₹26,000 for another flight at 5pm.

Tour operators blamed the airlines for the surge. “Airlines are at fault. During chaos, be it natural calamities, political unrest, or the current situation, fares are pushed up. The directorate general of civil aviation must intervene because passengers suffer,” said Anjani Dhanuka, chairman of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), eastern region.

For groups, the challenge is even bigger. A 35-member tour to Kerala faces panic over cancellations and steep differential fares. “Clients are suggesting trains, but those are overbooked too,” said Raktim Roy, managing director of Dolphin Travels.