Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram   

Air fare reduction bypasses State

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The decision of Air India and other airlines to reduce air fares on domestic routes only to metro sectors has come as a big jolt for the State’s tourism industry, which is struggling to overcome the impact of economic meltdown.

The decision has come at a time when the tourism industry was working out marketing strategies to tide over the crisis by attracting domestic tourists to Kerala. The industry stake-holders had been pointing out that high air fares were preventing domestic tourists and Foreign Individual Tourists (FITs) from coming down.

Close on the heels of Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines reducing fares by 40 per cent in domestic flights, the national carrier reduced fares on 20 sectors by up to 82 per cent with effect from Tuesday. This is largely meant for passengers in sectors linking metros and those travelling to tourist destinations like Goa. Air India sources told The Hindu that the fares were reduced basically in the ‘apex fare’ and ‘X’ categories and are subject to many conditions.

The air fares were slashed due to peak season demand and decline in aviation fuel prices, it was pointed out. Jet Airways and Air India had reduced fuel surcharge by Rs.400 in the domestic sector earlier this month. The tourism industry was hoping that the airlines would further reduce fares.

President, Confederation of Tourism Industry, Kerala, E.M. Najeeb said the measure of the national carrier and private airlines was aimed at pleasing the Union government.

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Air fare reduction bypasses State

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