COLOMBO: Cricket fans eager to watch the high-profile Pakistan-India clash live will have to pay significantly higher airfares, as ticket prices have surged dramatically ahead of the match.
During the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, airfare prices to Colombo have skyrocketed due to the much-anticipated encounter between the traditional rivals.
According to Indian media reports, ticket prices have increased by between 7,000 and 25,000 Indian rupees. Airfares that were previously available for around 7,000 rupees are now being sold for as much as 42,000 rupees.
As the February 15 match at R. Premadasa Stadium approaches, a sharp rise in fares from India to Colombo has been observed. Indian fans from across the country are traveling to Sri Lanka to witness the match, leading to a significant increase in ticket prices on flights from Delhi and Mumbai to Colombo.
Chennai, which is only about an hour and a half away from Sri Lanka and operates around 16 daily flights to Colombo, usually offers relatively cheaper fares. However, due to overwhelming demand, even these tickets are being sold at several times their normal prices.
Airfares that previously cost 7,000 rupees are now being sold for up to 42,000 rupees. For Friday, February 13, IndiGo’s regular economy fares from Chennai have risen from 7,127 rupees to between 22,000 and 25,000 rupees. Meanwhile, SriLankan Airlines fares have reached 42,231 rupees.
For February 14, IndiGo fares have increased from 20,708 rupees to 25,207 rupees, while SriLankan Airlines tickets are priced around 35,217 rupees. On match day, February 15, IndiGo fares range between 18,283 and 19,464 rupees, whereas SriLankan Airlines tickets are priced between 28,660 and 42,231 rupees.
Reports also indicate that fares to Colombo from several other Indian cities have surged sharply. Hundreds of Pakistani cricket fans are also traveling to Colombo to watch the highly anticipated match.
