With the advent of budget airlines the popularity of air travel in India has increased significantly. Till recently travel by air in India was considered to be a luxury, which only the rich and business class could afford, something a large section of the middle-class would not consider splurging their hard earned money on. The low promotional fares offered by budget airlines have induced many passengers who would use any other mode of travel, to travel by air at least once. During the off peak season, instead of having empty flights with very few passengers, many airlines offer the seats on the flight at a discounted rate.

 Air Travel | Image Resource: thekalragroup.org

 

Thus travelers who can book their flight well in advance, like those who are planning to go on a holiday or visit friends and relatives, are able to plan their travel, and book their tickets to avail of the discount. The prices for these tickets are often lower than the tickets for alternative modes of travel like train or bus. Though security checks and other formalities take up some time, the total travel time for air travel is significantly less than almost any other mode of transport, especially for long distances across the country.

 

Even today, a large section of the population which avails of air travel is the business class, from the IT and finance sector, as the high salaries and profit margin make it possible for them to afford the high air fares.  The airfares are considered to be business expenses, and even though the airfares for last minute bookings are high, they will be able to afford these expenses.