Eid Al Adha: Why Pakistani families in UAE are not travelling back home

Dubai: Most Pakistani expatriates in the UAE are giving Eid Al Adha travel a miss this year, with school exams emerging as the key reason families are staying back, according to airlines and travel agencies.

Travel agencies and airline operators also reported a dip in bookings from Pakistani residents compared to previous years, particularly among families with school-going children. With many local and international schools in the UAE holding crucial final exams in mid-June, parents say the timing has made travel impractical.

Subdued demand

Unlike the usual holiday rush seen during Eid, the travel demand to Pakistan from Dubai is notably subdued this time. “There is no significant rush of passengers like we saw during Eid Al Fitr,” confirmed Sarmad Aizaz, Regional Manager of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in UAE.

“We have not added any extra flights either. Most families including mine are not travelling because of school exams,” he told Gulf News

Most schools in the UAE are set to close at the end of June, forcing families to opt out of Eid Al Adha travel plans to Pakistan this time.

Air fare soars

Despite a dip in passenger numbers, air fares from UAE to Pakistan have surged as well, “Ticket prices now range from Dh800 to Dh1,600 one way, up from earlier average fare of between Dh400 and Dh500,” said Aizaz.

He noted that Islamabad and Peshawar are among the few sectors still seeing strong demand. In contrast, routes to Lahore, Multan, and other cities did not see expected high demand for Eid.

Lower demand

Airblue’s Regional Manager Usman Munir said the airline has launched two additional flights from June 2 and June 4 to accommodate holiday travellers. Still, he admits demand is lower than usual. “Two-way fares range from Dh1,500 to Dh2,500, depending on the sector. Prices are expected to rise closer to Eid, but seats are not filling up as fast as in previous years.”

Umer Farooq, Managing Director of Royal Pearl Tourism in Dubai, said: “Seats are still available across most sectors. We have received very few bookings from families travelling to Pakistan mostly because of school exams. Instead, we have recorded increased interest in short trips to visa-free destinations like Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Uzbekistan.”

More carriers, more seats

The number of available seats between the UAE and Pakistan has risen due to a growing roster of airlines serving the routes. In addition to PIA, carriers such as Emirates, Flydubai, Air Arabia, Airblue, Serene Air, Etihad, Fly Jinnah, and newcomer AirSial now operate flights, offering passengers more choices.

Families choose to stay back

For many UAE-based Pakistani families, staying local this Eid is a practical decision. Tanveer Awan, a Pakistani banker in Dubai, said his family has postponed travel until July. “My children have exams, so we will spend Eid in Dubai. There is plenty to do here with the kids.”

Shabana Islam, a schoolteacher in Sharjah, said: “Travelling this Eid is not possible due to school commitments, both mine and my children’s. Instead, we plan to celebrate Eid in UAE with quality time at home.”