MALAPPURAM: With airlines increasing ticket prices more than four times in view of the Eid al-Adha holiday, expatriates' journey home is in crisis. More people were preparing to return home as it is hot in the Gulf.
Ticket rate increase is more in Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar sectors. A family of four needs more than Rs 2 lakh to reach Kerala from Kuwait on Air India Express. The ticket price is Rs 55,000 per person. Meanwhile, one can get a ticket from Kerala to Kuwait for Rs 10,000.
Travel agencies booking tickets in bulk under the guise of group tickets has also led to an increase in fares. Airlines negotiate fares with agencies months in advance and issue tickets under the guise of group tickets. With this, the number of tickets available on the websites will decrease and the demand will increase. Companies can increase fares on remaining tickets as they see fit. When the season begins, the agencies will sell the hoarded tickets at extortionate rates.
Ticket rate till 16th of June
(Air India Express)
Kuwait - Kozhikode ......................... 53,000 - 55,000
Kozhikode - Kuwait .......................... 10,000 - 12,000
Jeddah - Kozhikode ........................................ 54,000 - 58,000
Kozhikode - Jeddah ........................................ 12,650 - 13, 600
Dubai - Kozhikode ............................... 33,000 - 43,500
Kozhikode - Dubai .............................. 6,900 - 7,300
Abu Dhabi - Kochi ................................... 28,500 - 30,500
Kochi - Abu Dhabi ................................... 8,500 - 9,700
Doha - Kochi ............................................ 49,500 - 54,000
Kochi - Doha ............................................ 9,500 - 12,000
Abu Dhabi - Thiruvananthapuram ................ 35,000 - 37,000
Thiruvananthapuram - Abu Dhabi ................ 11,500 - 12,500
Sharjah - Kannur................................... 23,000 - 24,500
Kannur - Sharjah ............................................ 8, 000 - 9,900