Bihar: Darbhanga Airport Celebrates Three Years, Faces Criticism for Lack of Facilities and High Fares

DARBHANGA – The Darbhanga Airport, launched under the UDAN scheme three years ago, is drawing attention for all the wrong reasons. Despite completing its third year, the airport is grappling with a severe lack of facilities, causing passengers to endure higher fares compared to other airports.

The airport, initially touted as a boon for the Mithila region, has not lived up to expectations. The promise of affordable air travel, akin to wearing slippers, has taken a back seat given the exorbitant flight prices. The situation is such that potential passengers are opting for Patna Airport due to more reasonable fares.

SpiceJet held a three-year contract at Darbhanga Airport, with hopes that other airlines would follow suit, leading to improved pricing. Unfortunately, this anticipation has not materialized, primarily due to the inadequate basic facilities at the airport.

As an example, SpiceJet’s booking website currently declares the cancellation of the Ahmedabad flight. Meanwhile, passengers heading to Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, and Chennai are faced with ticket prices exceeding Rs 20,000, and those traveling to Bangalore are encountering fares surpassing Rs 30,000 per person.

Flight Prices from Darbhanga Airport (SpiceJet):

– Darbhanga to Ahmedabad
– Rs 17,812 on 15 December
– Rs 15,818 on 16 December
– Rs 13,402 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Hyderabad
– Rs 29,656 on 14 December
– Rs 20,626 on 15 December
– Rs 16,952 on 16 December
– Rs 15,902 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Kolkata
– Rs 29,626 on 14 December
– Rs 25,110 on 15 December
– Rs 20,280 on 16 December
– Rs 19,756 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Mumbai
– Rs 22,936 on 14 December
– Rs 18,212 on 15 December
– Rs 15,586 on 16 December
– Rs 13,382 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Delhi
– Rs 15,534 on 14 December
– Rs 11,000 on 15 December
– Rs 7,344 on 16 December
– Rs 7,870 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Chennai
– Rs 25,896 on 14 December
– Rs 21,432 on 15 December
– Rs 18,336 on 16 December
– Rs 16,602 on 17 December

– Darbhanga to Bengaluru
– Rs 32,230 on 14 December
– Rs 28,344 on 15 December
– Rs 24,040 on 16 December
– Rs 16,164 on 17 December

Critics argue that for the airport to fulfill its potential, urgent attention is needed to address the current lack of amenities and the soaring ticket prices.