With thousands of flights cancelled or delayed amid an ongoing operational meltdown, carriers have begun aggressive surge pricing to cash in on stranded passengers.

Domestic sector tickets on several airlines now cost more than return international flight fares to the United States or Australia, travellers and booking portals reported on Friday.

Low-cost carrier SpiceJet was found charging up to Rs 80,000 for single-sector flights on key routes today, a sharp jump from normal fares of Rs 5,000 - Rs 12,000.

Confirmed Instances of Airfare Spike:

An economy class, one-way ticket for a two-stop Air India flight from Hyderabad to Mumbai was listed at Rs 70,329. Furthermore, a business class ticket on a last-minute Air India connection from Hyderabad to Bhopal reportedly touched Rs 90,000.

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