Plane crash, Israel-Iran war hit travel operators in state
Ranchi: The June 12 London-bound Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad and the closure of Iranian airspace amid tensions between Israel and Iran have resulted in trip cancellations of both domestic and international destinations, especially Europe, impacting travel agents and tour operators.
Speaking to TOI, tour operator Mayank Vijayvargiya said, "We have incurred heavy financial loss in the past few days as many travellers cancelled their trips. The plane accident in Ahmedabad have instilled fear of flying in people and skyrocketing air fare due to the tension between Israel and Iran worsened the situation. Flights between the West and India take a longer route following the closure of Iranian airspace.
As flight durations have increased, so have the airfares, making trips costlier and beyond the reach of most."
At least five groups of prospective customers were in talks with Mayank, planning travel to Germany and France. They now refuse to take the trips.
"I have incurred financial loss of several lakhs. While some airlines make a halt at Qatar, many are taking a detour through Egypt and Greece to reach European nations, increasing the flight duration by up to 90 minutes.
Increased flying hours mean higher operational costs as aircraft have to burn more fuel. This ups the price of tickets," he added.
Another tour operator, Joy Masroor, said, "The viral visuals of the Ahmedabad flight crash have impacted the minds of prospective travellers. At least 40-50 travel groups, both to domestic and international travel destinations like Dubai and Singapore have cancelled trips. Many have also cancelled their trips as the flights scheduled were operated by Boeing, the flight model involved in the Ahmedabad accident.
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"This year has been challenging for us. Right from the Pahalgam attack in April, to the tensions between India and Pakistan in May, and now the dual dilemma of Ahmedabad and Iran has hit our business," he lamented.
Meanwhile, no major change in passenger footfall has been witnessed at the Birsa Munda Airport in Ranchi. Most tickets are being booked by officials, businessmen, and students, sources said.
A student travelling from the state capital to Bangalore for engineering degree on Monday, Aditya Shekhar, said, "I was really scared when my flight from Ranchi to Bangalore today was hit by turbulences. I had to opt for flight as my admission is due on Tuesday. Luckily, I landed safely in Bangalore."
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