Onam rush to return: Airlines continue to charge hefty fares to Gulf-bound expats

MALAPPURAM: Airlines continue to charge high fares to expats returning to the Gulf after Onam holidays, with no sign of a reduction in ticket prices yet. The return journey of most emigrants is expected to be completed by the end of this month.

Even those who returned early, having only a few days’ leave, had to pay huge sums for tickets. Airfare prices are expected to return to normal only by the first week of October.

Airlines blame the rise in fares on service cuts and longer travel times amid security concerns in West Asia. However, the sharp increase is mainly seen in flights from Kerala to Gulf, while flights from Gulf to Kerala remain available at much lower prices. This has resulted in huge fare differences between flights flying in opposite directions on the same routes.

Huge difference in ticket prices

An Air India Express ticket from Thiruvananthapuram to Abu Dhabi costs Rs 63,851 today and Rs 43,578 tomorrow. In contrast, a ticket from Abu Dhabi to Thiruvananthapuram today costs just Rs 13,399. Low fares are available on flights from Abu Dhabi to Kerala during this month.

Similarly, a ticket from Kochi to Dubai today costs Rs 60,451 and tomorrow it costs Rs 48,675. However, passengers traveling from Dubai to Kochi can purchase a ticket for just Rs 13,566. The fare on the Kozhikode-Sharjah route today is Rs 59,145 and tomorrow it will be Rs 42,880. For comparison, a ticket from Sharjah to Kozhikode costs Rs 12,400. Foreign airlines charge even higher fares than Air India Express on these routes during this period.