Thiruvananthapuram: International travel plans have taken a hit this summer, with passengers facing soaring fares, fewer flights and limited destination options amid the ongoing US-Israel war against Iran. Domestic travel, too, has become costlier, with airlines grappling with rising fuel prices, a dip in international traffic and the imposition of a surcharge.The West Asia crisis has dealt a double whammy to the state — forcing residents to spend more on overseas holidays during the school vacation and post-election period, even as inbound domestic tourism suffers from high airfares and reduced amenities due to the LPG shortage.The Gulf, a favoured summer destination for Keralites visiting friends and relatives, has largely been ruled out of travel plans this year. Iranian retaliatory strikes across the region have disrupted flight schedules, with major hubs such as Dubai witnessing widespread cancellations and uncertainty.At Thiruvananthapuram airport, airlines have been cancelling 5-9 arrivals and 7-9 departures on a daily basis in recent days. With services falling short of demand, Gulf Air is planning to operate a relief or charter flight from Dammam on March 22.Airfares have surged as a result. Return tickets to Dubai are priced at Rs 40,000-Rs 80,000 in the coming days, as against Rs 26,000-Rs 55,000 early next month. Fares to London range from Rs 60,000 to Rs 2 lakh, Paris Rs 64,000-Rs 85,000, while non-stop flights to Singapore cost around Rs 80,000. Tickets to Kuala Lumpur next month range between Rs 20,000 and Rs 80,000.Sources said fares to Southeast Asia remain high as travellers to and from the US and Canada prefer to fly via Singapore as flights are affected in Dubai.Travel operators said many were shifting holiday plans to Southeast Asia and the Far East, though there was uncertainty, with countries like Thailand beginning to face fuel shortages. “Group travellers are still opting for Europe, flying via Delhi to take direct connections to London and Frankfurt. SriLankan Airlines is also operating from Colombo,” said Sejoe Jose of the Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO).He said travel demand held steady despite soaring fares, with people compelled to spend more on flights and accommodation.M K Ajit Kumar of the India Tourism Forum said there was growing anxiety among travellers. “People fear getting stranded abroad and are avoiding the Gulf for holidays. The impact of the war is being felt at multiple levels, including fuel shortages in countries like Thailand and Sri Lanka,” he said, adding that concerns for relatives in the Gulf are also discouraging leisure travel.He said uncertainty over return flights had led to the cancellation of some inbound tours planned for the coming months.
