Flying to any domestic as well as international destinations can be an expensive affair but with limited options from the Birsa Munda International Airport the cost of international expedition could be cheaper than flying to Kolkata. A one-way trip to Amsterdam can cost up to `47,931 on Christmas Eve while the same to Kolkata would cost up to `51, 891. Moreover, there are only nine flights to domestic destinations such as Delhi, Patna, Kolkata, Mumbai and Bengaluru, including only one for Kolkata.
Meanwhile, the fare prices for Kolkata or Delhi a couple of months back were available at `4,000-6,000 leaving the travellers at a fix with the recent inflation in ticket prices.
“We always visit Kolkata during the Christmas and New Year as the entire family is settled there in lake Town. My father is a cancer patient and faces lot of difficulties in train journeys. Thus, we always tend to avoid travelling in trains and look up to flights. But, this year the prices have suddenly gone up to the sky. Five of us paid about `80,000 for a one-way trip to the city of joy and there is no joy left in flying to my hometown after spending so much on just one-way travel. There are other expenses as well. It seems planning a trip to Bangkok or Phuket would have been a better option,” said Meenakshi Ganguly, a college student from Circular Road.
The air fare for international destinations such as Beijing, Shanghai, Paris, Singapore, london, Frankfurt, Madrid, Zurich are available at a price range of `34,347 to `5,30,917 this December end making it look like a viable option for many travel enthusiasts.
“After going through the flared up prices to all domestic destinations, we waited for a couple of days to check if the prices would lower by any chance but in vain. Then, my father decided to plan a trip to Beijing where he has some official work and the tickets cost us `68,000 for a round trip per person. Though, I am glad because this is my first international trip and all thanks to the high prices,” said Mayank Palmyra, a school student from Kantatoli.
However, city flyers seem not only to be complaining about the peak prices but also the poor facilities at the airport here. The restaurant at the airport closed down on November 30 citing long term losses.
The snacks bar at the terminal building also downed its shutter soon after followed by few others citing the same reason of incurring huge losses.
Currently, only the book store, Café Coffee Day and a beverage centre is running at the airport here alongwith a poor free wi-fi facility.
Preeti Sabarwal who studies in Singapore and visits home every two-three months seems quite displeased at the condition of the international-tagged airport here.
“The airport does not seem to be welcoming at all especially with nothing to eat or lounges to rest, the restrooms appear desolated during the dark hours gives a scary feeling to even go near them. Even the staff here is so rude that it does not seem like a viable option to approach them at all,” said Sabarwal.
However, when contacted the Airport Director RR Kumar declined to comment on any of the issues.