What's up with the crazy pricing?
 

I traveled around in India for about $60-$75 oneway back in April/May. Now I'm looking for a flight BOM-PNQ and return and Jet wants $211, $177 of which are fuel surcharges! Considering I can buy a oneway ticket from BOM to SE Asia or Europe for not much more, this is crazy. Is this their way of shoring up the bleeding?

I think those low pricing previously were due to intense competition to gain market share...and a losing proposition with rising jet fuel prices...

Yes indeed flying is relatively more expensive nowadays here in but maybe it's due?

Btw, I still find good prices in econ if you could manage to book ahead.

Booking ahead is key; I've been able to book <$50 o/w on 9W mainline recently, for dates in Oct, Nov

Search around. Some sites give really good deals, and 2 one-ways can sometimes be cheaper than a round trip. It certainly was for me (ended up about 1000 INR less).

Am not surprised. I had to book a MAA-BOM-MAA for yesterday's travel (booking done 10 days back) for which I paid INR 6700 (0 base fare, 800 taxes, all fuel surcharge). But here's another interesting thing. I had to cancel the ticket for circumstances beyond my control. When I cancelled a ticket on a similar class (which INCLUDED a base fare) last month, I had to forfeit the entire price including tax and surcharge. This time, they gave me a full refund...don't know if that's a system issue I benefitted from this time or lost the last time !

This is common all over the world. It is called multiple pricing. What happens is that an airline takes the same basic product (a seat on the plane) and packages it into cheap and premium products with artificial differences. The cheap product is nonrefundable, so the buyer gambles. The expensive product is often available up to the last minute and is fully refundable.

Sometimes one might prefer a more expensive fare even when a cheaper fare is available, because of the lack of penalties. For example, someone traveling on business (with the company, not the traveler, paying) might choose the expensive fare because the meetings could end early and if so there would be no problem changing to an earlier flight.

I appreciate the point on multiple pricing, but that still doesn't explain why a fare paid ticket isn't refundable but a zero fare ticket is. What's even more interesting is that at the time of booking, both tickets were shown as "No Refund".

brain fart, sorry

Hey guys, you folks here in MAA, let's get a drinks get together sometimes...

I am a little bored...

I was going to suggest this yesterday, based on your posts - I can fly down...

I gather that this was a Jet ticket, bought directly from them - am I correct?

Further, were any of them Konnects?

Are you based in BOM?

Seems drinks there would be more fun...I don't like the last call at 2330 thing here...

Yep - welcome to come over...however, the places I frequent also close around that time! :td: :(

Where do you frequent that closes at 2330 in BOM?

I am afraid we have hijacked this thread but it's loosely moderated yes? :D

Ok so drinks at MAA? anyone in?

I am in DEL next Fri, anyone around?

I dont drink but will be glad to join you all for a FT do anytime. Not been traveling at all this year thanks to travel freezes at work anyway ..

Try booking on Rupee fares, not on USD. Go to the airlines' India website