CHENNAI: Chennai’s domestic airport witnessed a massive surge in passenger traffic on Friday (September 11) as travellers rushed to their hometowns ahead of the Vinayagar Chaturthi festival and the three-day long weekend.
Vinayagar Chaturthi, one of the major Hindu festivals, will be celebrated across the country on Monday, September 14.
With Saturday, Sunday and Monday forming a long weekend, many people began their journeys on Friday to spend the holidays in their native places.
The festive rush has also led to a sharp increase in domestic airfares, with ticket prices on several routes from Chennai rising three to four times their normal levels.
Passengers travelling to destinations including Thoothukudi, Madurai, Tiruchy, Coimbatore, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Delhi, Mumbai and Kolkata have been hit by the steep hike.
The Chennai-Madurai fare, normally around Rs 5,393, rose to Rs 19,761, while tickets to Bengaluru increased from Rs 3,801 to Rs 17,993. The Chennai-Delhi fare jumped from Rs 8,943 to Rs 31,047.
Similarly, fares to Thoothukudi rose from Rs 6,991 to Rs 17,153, Tiruchy from Rs 4,646 to Rs 14,673, Coimbatore from Rs 4,966 to Rs 16,496, Hyderabad from Rs 4,467 to Rs 18,207, Mumbai from Rs 6,516 to Rs 24,592 and Kolkata from Rs 6,250 to Rs 20,716.
Despite the steep increase in fares, passengers are continuing to book flights to make the most of the extended holiday and celebrate the festival with their families.