Airfare for India-UAE routes continues to increase as the pent-up demand shows no signs of stabilisation. Moreover, with Expo 2020 all set to open in Dubai by the end of the week the prices can escalate further. In this scenario, it is expected that visitors from India will contribute a considerable percentage of the initial turnouts at the event.
Currently, a flight from New Delhi to Dubai costs between Dh2,000 (INR 40,188) and Dh3,000 (INR 60,280), against under Dh1,500 a seat just weeks earlier, while flying to UAE from Mumbai is relatively easy on the pockets with fares starting from Dh1,700 (INR 34,159).
Economy seats for the Kochi-Dubai route start from Dh1,500 (INR 30,253), and those from Calicut are priced around the same, which used to be under Dh1,000 in July.
A nearly five-month ban on commercial flights is one of the major causes behind the airfare hike. During the ban, while several passengers from India were desperately trying to return, others had put off their travel plans from the UAE to India.
The UAE travel agencies like Al Badie Travel Agency estimates that the hike in airfare is likely to continue for another week as many Expo tourists are poised to come in large numbers.
As per travel agents, to stabilise or decrease ticket rates, more flights and frequencies need to be added to the UAE-India sector. Even if it’s done, there’s no surety that the rates will shrink as the peak holiday season will increase demands by early December. In addition, travel related to the Expo will be a constant factor up to the end of March next year.
However, it is expected that the demand would weaken by October 4 with the UK government revising its travel guidelines for passengers inoculated with the India-made Covishield vaccine. Many travellers from India had to transit through UAE to use the country as a quarantine stopover destination before heading to the UK. From October 4, the situation is likely to change, reducing a significant number of travellers arriving at UAE airports.
In the meantime, fares for flights from UAE to India remain the same. A flight from Dubai to New Delhi stands at Dh340 (INR 6,857), while the cheapest rate for a ticket to Mumbai is Dh281 (INR 5,667).
