Dubai, May 5: Tickets on repatriation flights from UAE to India, which start on May 7, could be costlier than regular airfare, and adding to the financial woes of those flying back. Nearly 200,000 Indians in the UAE have registered on the website seeking to return home.
“A one-way repatriation ticket to Delhi will cost approximately Dh1,400-Dh1,650 - this would earlier have cost between Dh600-Dh700 [during these months],” said Jamal Abdulnazar, CEO of Cozmo Travel. “A one-way repatriation flight ticket to Kerala would cost approximately Dh1,900-Dh2,300.”
This can be quite a burden, as a majority of those taking these flights have either lost their jobs or are sending back their families because of uncertainty on the work front. To now have to pay airfare that is nearly on par with those during peak summer months is quite a blow.
Sources said that officials in Indian diplomatic missions have already initiated calls to some expats, telling them about likely ticket fares and enquiring about their willingness to travel.
Although many believed repatriation would be government-sponsored, Indian authorities have clarified that customers would have to pay for the tickets themselves. Those who thought they were entitled to free repatriation might back out of travel plans for now.
Fact of life
But aviation and travel industry sources say higher rates cannot be escaped since social distancing norms have to be strictly enforced at all times. That would limit the number of passengers on each of these flights.
“One airline can carry only limited passengers - therefore, multiple airlines are likely to get the approval to operate repatriation flights,” said Abdulnazar. “Also, airports will have to maintain safe distance for passengers to queue up at immigration and security counters.
“Therefore, it is recommended that multiple carriers fly into multiple Indian airports for repatriation to be expedited.”
The Indian authorities, so far, have not taken the easy decision to get its private domestic airlines into the rescue act. Gulf News tried speaking to the leading players, but they declined to provide any official statements. So far, only Air India, the national airline, has been commissioned to operate the flights.
Air India finds itself in the driver's seat when it comes to operating India's repatriation flights. To date, there is no confirmation India's private airlines will be allowed to join in.
UAE carriers ready to help out
UAE’s Emirates airline, Etihad, flydubai and Air Arabia are likely to also operate repatriation flights to India after Air India implements the first phase of services.
“We are fully supporting governments and authorities across the flydubai network with their repatriation efforts, helping them to make arrangements for their citizens to return home,” said a flydubai spokesperson.
“We will announce repatriation flights as and when they are confirmed, recognising this is an evolving situation whilst the flight restrictions remain in place.”
An AirArabia spokesperson said the airline is ready to operate repatriation flights when the government tells them to.
Travel agencies likely to benefit
Apart from operating non-scheduled commercial flights, the Indian government is also deploying naval ships to bring expat Indians back. Sources claim the ships are to ferry passengers who cannot afford the repatriation airfares.
Even then, considering the sheer numbers who will want to get on the flights, travel agencies are likely to see a surge in bookings since airline websites alone may not cope with the demand set off in such a short span.
Learn from Gulf governments
In instances when they carried out their own repatriation flights, some GCC governments paid the ticket fares to fly in their citizens. Those citizens who did not have the ready funds could approach their diplomatic mission and aid would be given on a case-to-case basis.
Should Indians wait for normal services to resume?
Industry sources say that those Indians wanting to fly back and cannot afford the repatriation flights should wait for full services to resume once the COVID-19 pandemic settles.
But can those who lost their jobs or seen steep salary cuts stay on without adding to their costs? And is there any guarantee that when flight services resume, ticket rates would be lower than on the repatriation trips.
As such, normal travel is expected to pick up only after the repatriation exercise to several countries is completed. UAE-based travel agencies are not seeing any bookings for summer, which is traditionally the peak holiday season.
“Majority want to stay put unless full confidence is restored,” said Abdulnazar. “I expect full normalcy to be restored not until March 2021.
“People have also taken a hit to their income. Without disposable income, you will curtail your travel.”
What constitutes normalcy?
Airfares are expected to remain high, given the need to keep the middle seats empty to practise safe distance onboard.
“We expect holiday travel to resume by October or November - but, the travel sentiment will not go back to pre-COVID-19 levels anytime soon,” said Manvendra Roy, Vice-President – Commercial at holidayme, an online travel agency. “The need to keep the middle seat vacant will add 30-40 per cent pricing pressure per seat from an airline perspective.
“This will make holidays more expensive.”
As for business travel, it will take some time to recover. Corporate staff are now used to getting work done via conference calls. “Companies will also curtail their travel expenditure since their income has taken a hit,” said Abdulnazar.
Comments
They didn't ask you to wear shorts or bikinis
They just said no bhurka
Once you join the college,you are meant yo follow rules.
If you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
They didn't ask them to wear shorts or bikini,they just said no bhurka
Rules of college to be followed once you join it,if you are not ok with it join another college which respects your tradition
Some fools here don't know the constitutional rights of students and commenting asking to go to Muslim colleges. Then let the college announce that they cannot follow our indian constitution.....
I dint see all these people commenting where their cow gods are in trouble....specially kotiaan ....we will take care of our problems....you first settle your GO Gods problem first....ha ha ..arrange to clean the city from plastics and feed them with grass......good luck....
Neren when did you travel from Thailand to Singapur. Might be the Govt of Thailand refused to give shelter like Indian govt did to you Poor Naren. Next he will be HELL.
Me Naren Hindu Lady sanyasi also wearing towel on her head gujrathi and Rajasthan Hindu women without head covered not coming in front of elderly person Christian nuns also wearing hijab that means hijab his good for ladies. If purchased fish you are not taking naked fish without covering then how you allowd your mother or sister allied without covering head
Kotian. A simple example. Just read and understand
For kachra what u do. U will burn of course.
For treasure what u do. U will hide in the ground of course.
After dead some people burn them. As some people hid in the ground
Simple message is that it is because of the huge donations given by the muslims the school and colleges are being filled and if we muslims decide to send our children only to muslim institutions then the closure of many of the non-muslim institutions will be near.
Dear Danish,
Your comments shows how much knowledge you have about islamic countries. Just visit dubai and see how non muslims are practising their faith. Don't blame with half knowledge like our Feku.
NARENANNA .....We no longer require messenger like you ....we already have ADVANI anna .....who followewd Sharia by saying ....death penalty for Rapist
NAREN JOKES
What a boring and miserable person you are naren. We are fed up reading your comments and now we are taking it as narens jokes. Keep going you will be famous as sardar jokes one day .. Hahaha.
There is a pretty common story that a NON MUSLIM asked a MUSLIM man why Muslim women covers themselves in HIJAB.
He took a piece of CANDY , took it out of the wrapper and threw it on the Ground. Candy got dirty, ants came & swarmed it, etc...
He took another piece of CANDY that was wrapped and threw it on the Ground as well.
Then he asked the NON MUSLIM man if he wanted the wrapped candy or the unwrapped candy? He of course said the Wrapped ONE.
The unwrapped was to symbolize uncovered women... How they are walking through this filthy world.
The Covered women was symbolized by the Wrapped Candy which protected from the dirty things on earth.
Its your choice... to follow the divine msg or not.. Nobody is forced by GOD.
If the Virgin Mary appears wearing a Veil on all her pictures, How can you ask me to sign on a Hijab ban law?
Roberto Maroni (Italian Foreign & Labour Minister)
muslim education institutes are not on par with education , so they join hindu and christian owned ... so no place for sharia .. kick those out of college ... no mercy must be shown on jihadist encouraging activities ... we have seen deep penetration of islamic state element in the coastal . .. one banner showing they will teach lesson in their own terms ... fire pellet guns on them ...beter join madrasa guys ... go please hahaha...
A BJP MP rejected USA visa because they told him to remove turban for security check. He rejected the American visa instead.
Anybody to blame him? No, this is our culture.
If a girl wear half naked skits or tight jeans pant and breast showing clothes, then these so called educationists are happy.
Hijab is the right of a muslim girl. Turban is the right of Sikh students, in a secular country they have the right to observe their religious dress code.
better to boycott such kind of institutions and go for islamic colleges.
Finally chairman by self unveiled his mask. Hope if he continue his dirty mentality then his institution may lose his respect and not fit to educate our future generation.
It will be unfortunate to Great Nation
its not Group of Muslim Students.............it is CAMPUS FRONT OF INDIA
Beedi workers ( look at pic in which women has come along with her daughter ) ...2 faces I can make out they are from bunder involved in cattle thefts before ..correct taane faizahal Bhai ? Idara bagge nimge idea iratte ..haha ..salafists are getting lot of funds from wahabist countries ..so they are organising this .. Give them tc so that they can join their community owned collegese...comedy thing is minority particularly one community owned colleges and schools are not of good standards ...haha ...quality of teaching staff is not up to the level ...so they join colleges owned by Hindus and Christians .madrasa untalla babes ..go and join na ? Hahaha...
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