Tension in the air clips internationaltourists' wings

Time of India

10-05-2025

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Lucknow: Tension between India and Pakistan has led to
flight cancellations
and soaring ticket prices. Those who had planned holiday, business trip, religious pilgrimage and international travel for work or study are caught in a limbo.
Travellers planning to visit Central Asia, Iraq, Iran, or the Gulf are among the hardest hit.
Closure of Pakistan's airspace forced airlines to reroute flights along longer, more expensive routes, resulting in widespread cancellations and reshuffling of travel itineraries during the peak season.Travellers feel the pinch all the more as airfares have surged drastically in just a few days. Flights that once passed through northern routes — now restricted due to the geopolitical standoff — are operating at limited capacity, pushing seat availability down and prices up. As a result, tour operators and airlines are flooded with cancellations and frantic rescheduling requests.Director of a destination management company, Fuzail Ahmad, said top summer destinations like Azerbaijan, Tunisia and Uzbekistan saw steep decline in interest, adding, "Airfare increased due to detour has discouraged tourists. But we're seeing noticeable shift towards Southeast Asia — places like Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia —which remain accessible and cost-effective," he explained. Travel agent Ritesh Keshri said, "We used to receive 70–100 bookings from Lucknow alone for Central Asia, but international bookings dropped sharply. Just last week, packages to Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan and Georgia cost around Rs 1.25 lakh per person — now the same trips are priced up to Rs 1.7 lakh per person."A businessman from Lucknow, Rajesh Agarwal, had to call off his family vacation to Azerbaijan. "Airfares increased by Rs 25,000 per person. The total cost pushed the trip far beyond our budget, we had no option but to cancel," he said.Lucknow-based tour operator, Azam Khan, said, "This couldn't have happened at a worse time. It's the peak of summer travel — religious tours, including Hajj and ziyarat tours of Iran and Iraq. Now, clients are calling in panic, some in tears. For many, these trips were once-in-a-lifetime."The crisis also hit
pilgrimage tourism
, particularly to Iran and Iraq. Zama Rizvi, who organises such tours, said bookings slowed. "The season begins next month, but with airfares up and routes changed, many are hesitant to confirm."Students and migrant workers heading to Europe or the Gulf — many of whom depend on affordable, direct connections through northern India — are among the hardest hit. With limited options and skyrocketing costs, many are postponing or cancelling their trips altogether.Shopping mall manager in Saudi Arabia, Akram Khan, visiting Lucknow on vacation, shared similar frustration.
"My return flight was scheduled for May 12, but with all this uncertainty, I had to cancel my travel," he said.