Airfares between Halwara (Ludhiana) International Airport and Delhi witnessed a sharp spike over the past two days, with one-way ticket prices touching Rs 12,000-14,000 due to an unexpected surge in demand.Apart from other factors, one of the key reasons is believed to be the wedding of a close relative of a prominent Ludhiana businessman in Delhi, which saw several industrialists and businesspersons from the city travelling to the national capital. The sudden rush reportedly pushed fares to nearly three times the usual levels.A local businessman said he was surprised to find ticket prices for June 29 had almost tripled. “The heavy demand drove fares up significantly,” he said.Frequent flyer Sonu Nilibar described the launch of flights from Halwara as the region’s biggest achievements in recent years. However, he pointed out that business-class fares remained much expensive.“A business-class ticket for the Ludhiana-Delhi sector generally costs around Rs 19,000. Most of these seats remain vacant because of the high fares. If prices are brought down to around Rs 12,000-13,000, many more businessmen would prefer to travel in business class. Lower fares could increase ticket sales and, generate overall revenue,” he said.Meanwhile, passengers also raised concerns about inadequate facilities at the newly operational airport.Traveller Vipul Rattan said the terminal’s air-conditioning system was not functioning during his visit three days ago, forcing passengers to endure the heat.Another passenger, Vinay Sahnana, posted on X that his first experience at Halwara Airport was marred by non-functional air conditioners and flies inside the terminal. He urged the authorities to address these issues at the earliest.Responding to the complaints, Halwara Airport Director Jagir Singh said he had not received any formal complaint but assured that the matter would be looked into.“I was on leave for the past few days, but I will get everything checked,” he said.