As the holiday season approaches, millions of Indians are facing an unexpected burden with skyrocketing domestic airfares, especially for flights originating from Mumbai. One of the popular routes, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, has witnessed a staggering 1258% fare hike, leaving travellers shocked. This also marks the highest increase among domestic routes.

Other major destinations, including Goa, Bengaluru, and Kolkata, have also seen massive increases, with Air India flights from Mumbai to Dabolim jumping by 766%, Bengaluru by 625%, and Kolkata by 491%. Even routes serviced by Indigo, such as Chennai (355%) and Jaipur (345%), are now considerably more expensive. The Akasa Air Mumbai-Ahmedabad flight topped the list, with a fare hike of 1258% compared to its usual charges.

These fare increases have raised concerns among consumer advocacy groups, prompting the Mumbai Grahak Panchayat (MGP) to file a complaint with the Ministry of Consumer Affairs. The group expressed dissatisfaction over price hikes on popular routes like Mumbai-Delhi and Mumbai-Lucknow, where fares have jumped from ₹6,000-₹13,000 in September to ₹12,100-₹27,800 in December.

The surge in ticket prices comes on the heels of rising aviation turbine fuel (ATF) costs, which have added to operational pressures for airlines. However, critics argue that the timing of these hikes—just before the holiday rush—is putting undue strain on travellers. With demand for domestic travel surging, passengers and consumer groups are calling for government intervention to prevent exploitative pricing practices.