Undeterred by increasing airfares, people head out this festive season

Travelling for vacations and especially to meet family during the festive season has become so important for people after Covid lockdowns that despite high fares, they are ready to shell out any amount of money to make their trips successful. Abhilash Prasad Singh, who travelled to his home in Prayagraj with his family for Diwali in 2022, plans to make the same trip again this year. A resident of Aundh, Singh said meeting family members, at least once a year, was important in the post-pandemic world. "The pandemic taught me that visiting family and being close to them is crucial. What if another similar episode happens and travel stops?" he told TOI. The festive season has begun and will continue till the year-end. Despite airfares being almost two to three times higher as last year, travelling is on people's schedules. Nilesh Bhansali, managing director of Devam Tours and Travels and director of Travel Agents Association of Pune, told TOI, "The number of flights and connectivity to new destinations has increased this year. We expected the airfares to drop and thought it will play an important part in planning trips. However, that hasn't happened - and despite high fares, people are travelling more." Supriya Nath, who will go to Kolkata for Durga Puja, said she booked tickets around a month ago. "I paid almost Rs45,000 to and fro for two people. Last year, the same leg cost me Rs33,000 during the pujas. I have used my credit cards and will pay monthly EMIs for the whole year. I don't want to be in a situation when another pandemiclike event strikes suddenly, and I can't see my family for years again," the Koregaon Park resident said. Nishant Ray, who will go home to Delhi during Diwali, said he never realised that seeing his parents would become so important. "I didn't go in 2019 and couldn't go in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. It was then that I realised how important it is to visit them.