The Hindu Business Line : Airfares from India up in Jan-March, says study

AIR fares from India, especially in first and business class, to different parts of the world have increased by 8.9 per cent and 7.7 per cent, respectively during the first three months of the current calendar year.

This has been indicated in the latest fourth quarter Airfare Index survey conducted by American Express. The survey shows that on a year-on-year basis, the increase in first and business class from India was even sharper at 15 per cent and 12.1 per cent respectively. Similarly, full economy and discounted economy fares from India increased by 5.6 per cent on a year-on-year basis, the survey shows.

The study says that the increase in first and business class airfares in the Asia-Pacific region during the fourth quarter of 2003 shows further demand recovery in the travel industry following Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), the war in Iraq and the fall-out from the Bali bombings.

As for the region, the study shows that in Pakistan, airfares from that country did not change. However, on a year-on-year basis, fares in first, business and full economy classes increased by 2.2 per cent while discounted economy class airfares increased by two per cent.

It was almost a similar case in Thailand. The survey shows that airfares from Thailand did not change. However, on a year-on-year basis, first and business class fares increased by six per cent and 5.8 per cent, respectively, while full economy and discount economy fares increased by 2.2 per cent and two per cent, respectively, the study points out.

However, the situation was entirely different in Malaysia. The survey shows that first and business class airfares from Malaysia increased by 4.1 per cent while full and discount economy class airfares increased by 3.8 per cent. Similarly, on a year-on-year basis, first and business class fares increased by 9.3 per cent, full economy fares increased by five per cent and discount economy tickets increased by 5.2 per cent.