Exorbitant flight charges await travellers to the UK?

New Delhi: It has emerged that 'exorbitant' ticket rates await travellers planning their return to the United Kingdom in the wake of the lifting of quarantine requirements for flyers from India.

On the eve of the country's transfer from the Red to Amber List in the UK, Sanjeev Gupta, Secretary, Union Home Ministry, tweeted that economy fares for one-way tickets to London from Delhi were as high as Rs. 3.95 lakh.

Gupta tweeted: "Fare of Rs 3.95 lakh one way Delhi to London on Aug 26. No, it's not 1st class. It's economy on @British_Airways. @airindiain @airvistara etc. also 1.2 to 2.3 lakh. College admission time! See minimum fare on @GoogleTravel in August."

He added that the matter has been brought to the attention of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and the minister in charge, Jyotiraditya Scindia.

Air India responded with a clarification: "Sir, we are trying to identify the source of these fares. The current fares available on our official website for Delhi London sector is approximately 1.15L."

However, Gupta maintained that "even 1.15 lakh is exorbitant and unaffordable for most students seeking admission purely on merit and not on financial strength".

Meanwhile, Air India has informed that it will be operating more flights to India from the UK. In addition to the flights that operate to airports in Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru, Air India is expected to start services to Kochi, Amritsar and Ahmedabad from the third week of this month.

Air India has announced flight services from Kochi to Heathrow Airport on Wednesdays starting August 18.