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It’s no secret that travel expenses soar during the summer holiday season, whether it’s for flights to and from the UAE to popular destinations such as the UK, Europe, the Maldives, as well as countries like Pakistan, the Philippines, and India
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However, the current situation on the UAE-India travel route is unparalleled, according to insiders in the travel industry
Once again, the exorbitant surge in travel fares between the UAE and India is making headlines. Airfares from various Indian cities to the UAE have witnessed an astonishing uptick of up to 200 percent when compared to the off-season rates.
This steep escalation has compelled a significant number of expatriate Indians to rethink their return plans, with many opting to delay until a hoped-for decrease in prices by the early to middle of September. This situation has been reported by Gulf News.
It’s no secret that travel expenses soar during the summer holiday season, whether it’s for flights to and from the UAE to popular destinations such as the UK, Europe, the Maldives, as well as countries like Pakistan, the Philippines, and India. However, the current situation on the UAE-India travel route is unparalleled, according to insiders in the travel industry.
Following a brief dip in the latter half of July, airfares from India to the UAE have taken an upward trajectory, and this trend is projected to continue until September 6.
It’s only after September 18 that these fares begin to recede, dropping back down to Dh460. This anticipated decrease provides a glimmer of hope for budget-conscious travelers who have been grappling with these extraordinary travel costs
Travel experts point out that the decision by Air India to curtail its flight capacity to second-tier cities in India, coupled with the void created by the bankruptcy of the budget airline Go First, has been instrumental in fueling the exceptionally high airfares this summer.
For instance, an Economy class ticket for a Mumbai to Dubai flight, scheduled for August 20, now costs approximately Dh890-Dh1,000. This is a substantial increase from the previous price point of Dh500 and above. Similarly, flights from Delhi to Dubai are priced at Dh1,073 for the same travel dates, in stark contrast to the off-peak price of around Dh520.
The impact of this fare surge is most acutely felt among travelers originating from South India, particularly Kerala. The spike in fares has disrupted the budgets of travelers from low- to mid-income groups. Fares have skyrocketed to Dh1,288-Dh2,277 compared to the more affordable range of Dh600-Dh1,000 that travelers were enjoying up until mid-July. For routes such as Kochi-Dubai, fares now stand at Dh1,427, and for Chennai-Dubai, they are as high as Dh1,718.
It’s only after September 18 that these fares begin to recede, dropping back down to Dh460. This anticipated decrease provides a glimmer of hope for budget-conscious travelers who have been grappling with these extraordinary travel costs.
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