New Delhi, Sep 8 - Faced with cancellation of nearly 200 flights by Jet Airways Monday, several stranded passengers claimed rival carriers even doubled their fares arbitrarily to cash in on the sudden rush for tickets.

'I had to pay Rs.6,000 extra. This is double the amount I usually pay for my Delhi-Mumbai tickets,' said Annu Kumar, an IT professional, who said he had to buy a ticket from Kingfisher after his Jet Airways flight to Mumbai was cancelled.

'They have clearly taken advantage of this situation,' Kumar told IANS here, adding his colleague, also a frequent traveller, had to face a similar situation here Tuesday.

Chennai-based private sector official Gautam, who uses only one name, said Jet Airways did not intimate the passengers about the cancellations.

'They (Jet Airways staff) kept us hanging for too long and announced the cancellation of their flights very late,' said Gautam, adding: 'This obviously allowed other airlines to cash in on the situation.'

V.S. Sharma, who was to fly to Mumbai, had a similar complaint. 'The least the airline people could have done is informed me that my flight is being cancelled. I could have made alternative arrangements. Really, this is very, very bizarre.'

But officials of other airline said they did not resort to any undue price hikes.