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Between cancellation and concern, families navigate uncertain foreign travel plans

If people are advised to avoid international travel, there should also be a reciprocal effort to actively promote domestic tourism, says the president of the IATA Agents Association of India.

4 min readPuneMay 14, 2026 01:32 PM IST

IATA Agents Association of India officials acknowledge that international travel has been affected. (AI-generated image)

Families usually make summer travel plans months in advance because these trips offer a chance to create lasting memories together. However, concerns about fuel shortages, reports of possible jet fuel disruptions in Europe, flight suspensions, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s advice to cut foreign travel have made travelling emotionally exhausting for several families who have planned expensive holidays.

“Our holiday to Denmark and Sweden has been planned for a long time, and with only a week left before departure, instead of excitement, there is now a growing sense of anxiety,” Dr Kinjal Goyal, Pune-based health psychologist, said.

IATA Agents Association of India officials acknowledge that international travel, which had risen considerably, has been affected.

“Reduced outbound travel demand, combined with escalating fuel costs, may lead to lower passenger traffic, reduced international connectivity and financial strain across airlines, tourism, hospitality, and related sectors. Families are also likely to increasingly shift towards domestic travel or defer leisure travel due to affordability concerns and uncertainty,” Biji Eapen, president of the IATA Agents Association of India, told The Indian Express.

“This is typically the peak season for travel to Europe. However, due to the situation in West Asia, travellers are avoiding routes over the Gulf, and fares for direct flights have doubled. The tourism segment has been affected, although people are still travelling to nearby destinations such as Sri Lanka and other countries. We expect more people to opt for domestic travel. However, those who need to travel abroad for conferences or weddings will continue to do so,” said Devendra Ghule, national treasurer of the IATA Agents Association of India, who has also set up the Pune chapter.

Ghule said that there have been several queries from those who have pre-booked their travel. There are no cancellations but people have raised various doubts and expressed concern about the forthcoming travel.

“If the prime minister’s request to avoid non-essential international travel for at least a year sees wider public response, the ongoing Gulf crisis and rising fuel prices could further intensify pressure on the aviation and tourism sectors. At the same time, for domestic travel to remain accessible and sustainable for the public, there is a growing need for stable and balanced airfare pricing aligned with prevailing market and economic conditions, rather than an entirely deregulated pricing environment that permits excessive fare escalation driven primarily by commercial considerations during periods of high demand or market disruption,” said Eapen, who is also the president of Airline Users Rights and Grievances Redressal Forum.

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Eapen said public concern in India is growing over airlines adding fuel surcharges and raising fares when fuel prices rise, but not passing on equivalent savings when rates fall, leaving passengers bearing the ongoing cost.

For Richa Modak, a Pune-based homemaker, travel is supposed to be restful and reassuring. “Vacations are about creating memories with loved ones and not constantly worrying about fuel availability or the next disruption around the corner. Many of us are finding ourselves more stressed about the journey itself than excited about the holiday,” she said.

Dr Kinjal Goyal said that since there is no official mandate to cancel travel, cancelling now would mean losing money, plans, and months of preparation. “Yet travelling also feels emotionally exhausting because there is constant uncertainty about whether journeys will go as planned,” she said.

The Hantavirus scare

Dr Goyal added that news of outbreaks like the Hantavirus only adds to the feeling of vulnerability, especially when travelling far from home.

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“One of the biggest contributors to this anxiety is social media. Every day, there are alarming posts and speculative claims, many without verified information. Even when mainstream news channels report possibilities rather than confirmed facts, the effect is the same; it fuels fear more than clarity. The ambiguity makes it incredibly hard for travellers to plan calmly or confidently,” she said.

Anuradha Mascarenhas

Anuradha Mascarenhas is a Senior Editor at The Indian Express, based in Pune. With a career spanning three decades, she is one of the most respected voices in Indian journalism regarding healthcare, science and environment and research developments. She also takes a keen interest in covering women's issues . Professional Background Education: A gold medalist in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a Master’s degree in Literature. Author: She authored the biography At The Wheel Of Research, which chronicles the life and work of Dr. Soumya Swaminathan, the former Chief Scientist at the WHO. Key Focus: She combines scientific accuracy with storytelling, translating complex medical research into compelling public and human-interest narratives. Awards and Recognition Anuradha has won several awards including the Press Council of India's national award for excellence in journalism under the gender based reporting category in 2019 and the Laadli Media award (gender sensitivity -2024). A recipient of the Lokmat journalism award (gender category-2022), she was also shortlisted for the RedInk awards for excellence in journalism-2021. Her debut book At The Wheel Of Research, an exclusive biography of Dr Soumya Swaminathan the inaugural chief scientist of World Health Organisation was also nominated in the Popular Choice Category of JK Paper AUTHER awards. She has also secured competitive fellowships including the Laadli Media Fellowship (2022), the Survivors Against TB – New Research in TB Media Fellowship (2023) and is part of the prestigious 2025 India Cohort of the WomenLift Health Leadership Journey.” Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) 1. Cancer & Specialized Medical Care "Tata Memorial finds way to kill drug-resistant cancer cells" (Nov 26, 2025): Reporting on a breakthrough for triple-negative breast cancer, one of the most aggressive forms of the disease. Discipline, diet and purpose; How a 97-year-old professor defies ageing'' (Nov 15, 2025) Report about Prof Gururaj Mutalik, the first Head of Department at Pune's B J Government Medical College who at 97 credits his longevity to healthy habits and a strong sense of purpose. 2. Environmental Health (The "Breathless Pune" Series) Long-term exposure even to 'moderate' air leads to chronic heart, lung, kidney issues" (Nov 26, 2025): Part of an investigative series highlighting that even "safe" pollution levels are damaging to vital organs. "For every 10 µg/m3 increase in PM2.5 level, there was 6-8% jump in medicine sales" (Nov 23, 2025): Using commercial data to prove the direct link between air quality and respiratory illnesses in Pune. 3. Lifestyle & Wellness News "They didn't let cancer, diabetes and heart disease stop them from travelling" (Dec 22, 2025): A collaborative piece featuring survivors who share practical tips for traveling with chronic conditions. At 17, his BP shot up to 200/120 mmHG; Lancet study flags why child and teen hypertension doubled between 2000 and 2020'' (Nov 12,2025)--A report that focusses on 17-year-old-boy's hypertensive crisis and reflects the rising global trend of high blood pressure among children and adolescents. 4. Scientific Recognition & Infrastructure For promoting sci-comm, gender diversity: IUCAA woman prof highlighted in Nature" (Nov 25, 2025): Covering the global recognition of Indian women scientists in gender studies and physics. Pune researchers find a spiral galaxy like the Milky Way from early universe'' (December 3, 2025)- A report on how Indian researchers discovered a massive galaxy that existed when the universe was just 1.5 billion years old , one of the earliest to have been observed so far. Signature Beat: Health, Science & Women in Leadership Anuradha is known for her COVID-19 reportage, where she was one of the first journalists to provide detailed insights into the Covishield and Covaxin trials. She has a dedicated interest in gender diversity in health and science, often profiling women researchers who are breaking the "leaky pipeline" in STEM fields. Her writing style is scrupulous, often featuring interviews with top-tier scientists and health experts from various institutions. ... Read More

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