Gulf expats hit hard by soaring airfares; those returning home for Onam will have to shell out lakhs for travel

KOCHI: All Malayalis look forward to celebrating Onam in their hometowns. However, soaring airfares have dealt a major blow to Gulf expatriates planning to return home for the festival. Airlines have sharply increased ticket prices, leaving expats who need to travel back to Gulf countries after the Onam holidays facing huge travel expenses. Ticket prices for flights in the last week of August, after the Onam holidays, have risen sharply.

There is heavy demand for flights to Kerala during the Onam season, as well as for return journeys after the festival. Expats who failed to book their tickets early are now being forced to spend large amounts on air travel. With demand rising, airlines have reportedly increased fares several-fold.

The steepest increase has been seen on direct flights from Kerala's airports to Gulf countries. Reports suggest that ticket prices have risen by 10 to 15 times compared to normal fares.

Air travel agencies have urged the Kerala government and MPs from the state to intervene over the sudden increase in ticket prices. The fare hike has created a major financial burden for expatriates and students returning to the Gulf after the festival.

There are also complaints that airlines are taking advantage of the festive-season rush to increase fares. Expats who travelled home by paying between Rs 12,000 and Rs 22,000 for tickets may now have to spend between Rs 80,000 and Rs 1.4 lakh to return to the Gulf for work.