<The huge growth in air travel to Goa and other destinations was due tolow fares offered by airlines. Due to various reasons, the low fare erahas gone, and so the air traffic has dropped. It is as straightforward asthat; nothing more to read into it. regards,Samir >
Here is a report on changes in costs and fares. Airfares outpace fuel cost hike Anirban Chowdhury / New Delhi August 17, 2008, 4:58 IST http://www.business-standard.com/india/storypage.php?autono=331620 < An analysis of twelve sectors, including long and medium-haul sectors like Delhi-Mumbai, Mumbai-Bangalore and Delhi-Ahmedabad and short-haul sectors like Hyderabad-Bangalore, shows that while full-service carriers have increased prices by 52-55 per cent during April and August, low-cost carriers (LCC), led by Jet Lite, increased prices by anywhere between 75-85 per cent.> Fuel cost is only the tip of the iceberg. Indian aviation is not at all energy efficient because of airspace restrictions due to military controls and and airport restrictions such as at Dabolim. Fifty percent of Indian airspace is restricted causing airlines to fly circuitous routes and there are over 25 civil enclaves which have slot restrictions causing congestion and hovering of planes. The biggest of these (Hyderabad and Bangalore and Kochi even earlier) have been shut inviting a high cost airport structure in the country. Dabolim, Pune, Vizag and Agra are next in line aggravating the whole matter. The need of the hour is for the government at all levels to seriously attack the cost structure of aviation (due to defence, taxes, AAI inefficiencies etc) to make low-cost no-frills aviation widespread in India including Goa without compromising security and state finances.