Travel UAE and India: Fares hike up to 200%, forcing many expats to delay returning home until September

Summer holiday travel always leads to sharp fare increases into and from the UAE, whether that’s to the UK, Europe, getaway destinations such as the Maldives, and, of course, to Pakistan, the Philippines and India. But what’s being seen on the UAE-India sector is unprecedented, say travel industry sources. Travel agents say Air India’s decision to cut airline capacity to two-tier cities in India and the void left by budget airline Go First’s bankruptcy has fuelled this summer airfare highs.

No respite on South India routes

When it comes to destinations in and from South India, especially Kerala, the fare gains are upending the budgets of low- to mid-income travellers. These have rocketed to Dh1,288 to Dh2,277 compared to the off-peak Dh600-Dh1,000 travellers were enjoying until mid-July. Kochi- Dubai fares are Dh1,427, and Chennai- Dubai Dh1,718. Because India-bound airfares were so high, many families chose to book one-way tickets this summer, said Rashid Abbas, Managing Director of Arooha Travels.

«These travellers hoped that fares would cool down mid-August, but that is unlikely. » Many planned their summer travel as early as in January, and then learnt in May that Go First announced its bankruptcy,« said Abbas. » Several Indian expatriates booked one-way tickets to their home country in the hope fares would cool down mid-August. Planning for return after Onam» The hyper-popular UAE-South India sector fares are making it hard for average middle-class families to return in time for school re-opening,« said Basheer Mohammed, General Manager of Europe Travel and Tours.

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RAK and budget carriers emerge top choices

Leading routes continue to connect major cities such as Kochi, Mumbai, Kozhikode, Ranchi, and Trivandrum with key UAE destinations, including Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah.