This week in travel, getting home for the festivals took more planning than usual. Airlines trimmed flights on busy routes, while the railways added two new sleeper trains. Meanwhile, Mumbai’s second airport edged closer to real use. Here is what happened and what it means for your next trip.
Why this week in travel is about planning
Each story this week points to the same lesson. Travel in India now rewards early planning. Seats are tighter, new trains offer fresh options, and airports are changing. A few minutes of checking can save a missed flight or an expensive last minute fare.
Airlines schedule fewer flights this November
Indian airlines have scheduled 22,306 weekly domestic flights for November. That is 2.6 per cent fewer than a year earlier, according to Business Standard, citing Cirium data. Air India cut the most, by about 15 per cent. Airlines point to fuel costs and a weaker rupee. For you, this means fewer seats and higher fares on popular festival routes. So book early, and check return fares as well as outbound ones.
Bihar routes feel the squeeze before Chhath
The cuts are sharpest on routes tied to Chhath. The festival runs from 13 to 16 November. Business Today reports that Patna has 302 weekly departures, down from 377. Hyderabad to Patna flights fell from 90 to 42 a week, and Darbhanga lost flights too. Because fares change daily, it is smart to compare trains too. The same report mentions festival special trains, but confirm every detail on IRCTC before you plan around one.
Two Vande Bharat Sleeper trains begin
The railways started two 16 coach Vande Bharat Sleeper services. Indian Infrastructure reported the launches. The Bengaluru to Mumbai train began on 1 November and covers 1,118 km in about 16 hours. The New Delhi to Varanasi train began on 31 October and takes about nine hours. The Bengaluru route runs through Solapur and Pune, and the Delhi route stops at Prayagraj and Kanpur. The report does not list fares or timings, so check official railway sources. Still, an overnight train that saves a flight and a hotel night is a real option for many.
Akasa Air prepares to move to Navi Mumbai
Akasa Air plans to move its twice daily Jeddah flights to Navi Mumbai airport from 15 December, the Free Press Journal reported. The move ties to the planned rebuild of Terminal 1 at the older airport. Air India Express already flies three weekly Abu Dhabi services from Navi Mumbai. Akasa’s departures are reported to be in the early morning and evening. So confirm the airport on your ticket, not just the city. Our Akasa Navi Mumbai guide has the reported timings.
Plan ahead for winter fog and baggage trouble
Winter brings fog to north Indian airports, and delays often follow. Our explainer on why fog still cancels flights in India shows how landing categories work. If your bag goes missing, then act quickly. Here are the steps to file a lost baggage claim. Both are worth saving before a festival trip, because delays and lost bags are far easier to handle when you already have a plan.
The one to watch
Watch the Navi Mumbai airport move. Akasa is first in line with its Jeddah flights in December. Air India Express and IndiGo are reported to follow in early 2027. As more airlines shift, your ticket may point to a different airport from the one you know. Of all the news in this week in travel, that change is most likely to catch people out. So always check the airport code, and plan your road or rail trip to it.