Flight tickets get cheaper in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: With the recent drop in international jet fuel prices, domestic air travel in Pakistan got marginally cheaper as all airlines cut their base ticket prices.

Sources from within the aviation industry said that many airlines cut down prices on various popular domestic flight routes.

The updated one-way fares on key routes are:

Fares between Islamabad-Quetta will range from Rs. 16,770 to Rs. 48,890, whereas those between Lahore-Quetta will be charged at rates ranging from Rs. 12,020 to Rs. 44,140, while Karachi-Quetta will have fares set at Rs. 13,603-Rs.44,000.

But chances of tourists experiencing a big drop in cost due to reduced base fares aren’t that high as carriers continue levying an average of Rs. 7,840 as fuel surcharge plus applicable government tax and airport charge on top of base ticket fares.

So the actual price of a standard one-way domestic flight will touch above Rs. 26,000 on most routes irrespective of which airline you choose, when you fly and what class of service you book.

The decision to reduce fares came with a respite from international jet fuel pricing, which saw a fall during the last few weeks.

Aviation analysts suggest fuel is among the highest costs for an airline. Fluctuations in global oil prices often determine the price of a plane ticket, but this effect does not immediately show itself.

Industry experts believe we should not expect cheap flights to stay that way for long because prices continue to reflect supply and demand dynamics.

Airfare prices could go up significantly on weekends, holidays, or other peak travel seasons because airlines apply dynamic pricing models when setting ticket rates.

Travelers can look forward to booking their seats ahead of time at discounted prices if they want to minimize costs while maximizing savings; last-minute bookings usually fetch far more expensive fare prices, particularly with high-demand domestic flight paths.