Daylight robbery by airline companies ahead of Gulf summer vacation; fourfold hike in ticket rates

MALAPPURAM: International and Indian airline companies have quadrupuled ticket prices to Kerala ahead of summer vacation for schools in Gulf and Bakrid season. Families who have not been home for two years due to Covid are booking tickets in large numbers. Schools reopen only at the end of August. There is a shortage of tickets on most routes as services cut-off during lockdown have not been restored. As ticket rates hiked in budget airlines and connecting flights, ordinary people have abandoned journey.

The Air India Express fare from Dubai to Kozhikode on July 2 is Rs 36,400. On the same day, Rs 9,700 is needed to travel from Kozhikode to Dubai. Rs 40,119 from Abu Dhabi to Kochi. On the other hand, tickets for the Kochi-Abu Dhabi route cost Rs 10,000. There are less passengers from Kerala to the Gulf now. The number of people returning to Kerala has also increased due to the extreme heat in the Gulf. The number of returnees to the Gulf will increase from September.

Ticket rates on July 2

Abu Dhabi - Kochi: 38,800 (SpiceJet)

Bahrain - Kochi: 44, 600 (Gulf Air)

Kuwait - Kochi: 31,000 (Air India Express)

Dammam - Thiruvananthapuram: 43, 900 (Indigo)

Muscat - Thiruvananthapuram: 35,000 (Air India Express)

Jeddah - Kozhikode: 31,000 (Air India Express)

Doha - Kozhikode: 41,000 (Air India Express)