Shimla: With there being just one flight to Shimla, those heading for cooler climes in peak summer time are having to pay a premium three times over for the same air ticket what it would normally cost in the winters.
Deepak Sood, of Ambassador Travels disclosed that for an incoming flight on Saturday from Delhi, the air-ticket cost was as much as Rs 12,739/ and the outgoing flight on a Monday morning was Rs 12,489/-
The lowest seat fare over the next ten days on the Delhi-Shimla flight was available at Rs 5087/- for 26th May where as the lowest outgoing tickets was Rs 10,925/- for 20th May.
Kingfisher is the lone airline operator that is maintaining a regular a 48 seater daily flight for the hill station.
Despite the high ticket prices, there was no seat available Delhi Shimla flight for the next two days, whereas a full cost Shimla-Delhi seat was available for Monday.
While the runway is sufficient for the plane with a load full of passengers to safely land at the Ridge Top airport at Jubbar Hatti, but it is not sufficient for a load full plane to take off.
Located at an altitude of 5065 feet, the runway is only 3800 feet in length that renders it short for providing landing and take-off services for larger planes.
An airport authority of India source disclosed that depending upon the weather conditions, the number of passengers on a Shimla – Delhi flight could be curtailed to 20 to 24 as prevailing warm days reduce necessary air pressure required for take-off of heavier loaded planes.
Pinched by the high ticket price, Dawaesh Bhardwaj, a tourist from Pune said, “I undertook to do a train journey to Chandigarh from and Delhi and from there did the last mile journey by luxury coach.â€
An air-ticket which can be availed for as much as Rs 4,500 during winters being charged so highly simple did not fit my budget, he added.
As Editor, Ravinder Makhaik leads a team of media professionals at Hill Post.
Spanning a career of over two decades in mass communication, as a Documentary Filmmaker, TV journalist, Print Media journalist and with Online & Social Media, he brings with him a vast experience. He lives in Shimla.
High ticket prices are hindering the tourist inflow to HP. air tickets on any of the sectors can be bought for 3000-6000 Rs range. However, if one has to go to HP, he has to shell out a minimum of 8000-10000 Rs even during the winter times. Its all because Air deccan has collapsed and Mallaya is charging very high rates because he knows that he is the only operating the flights to these places.
I guess before we blame the airlines, please note that that it all boils down the economics. It is not profitable to fly a 30-40 seater plane on a subsidized fares to Himachal.
Please ask the Congress and BJP wy they have not been able to ensure a proper airport in the state where an Boeing or an Air Bus can land. Why do we still travel on a narrow gauge track in the state given to us by our colonial masters??? What has our red and green capped masters done for the state????