MALAPPURAM: Due to hike in airfare prices, expatriate families unable to come home from the Gulf even after the schools are closed down for summer vacation. A four-member family will have to spend around one and a half lakh rupees to reach India. The same fare will have to be paid for the return in months of August and September. With summer holidays and Bakrid holidays coming together, airlines have increased the ticket prices by four times. Saudi Arabia and the UAE, which have a large population of expats, marks the highest fare hike. Rs 35,000 or more is the airline fare from Dubai to Kerala. Tickets usually fetch between Rs 8,000 and Rs 10,000. Anticipating this, travel agencies hoarding tickets in bulk has also backfired.

Only providing more services on Gulf sectors during seasons can reduce this ticket robbery. Unlimited flight services can be done to ASEAN and SAARC countries from 18 airports in India. Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram and Kozhikode airports are in this list. The expatriate organizations demand that the central government should make a similar agreement with the Gulf countries.