Dubai: Airfares on UAE-India routes are seeing a ‘Diwali surge’, with even 50% increases to some destinations over the next week.
UAE’s Indian expats planning a quick trip home to Mumbai or New Delhi will be particularly hard hit, with fares already recording sharp rises compared to the off-peak rates they had from mid-September all the way to now.
The Indian festival of Diwali falls on October 31 and November 1 this year.
“India flights are packed - while this time of the year is usually busy for inbound Indian tourists to the UAE, this year's trends are exceptionally busy,” said Sapna Aidasani, Head of Marketing at Pluto Travels.
“Many travelers are coming from India to Dubai before the festival, with inbound traffic approaching Dhanteras and Diwali. Many more are expected to fly early next week.”
Dramatic fare rises
Return Economy fares from Dubai to Mumbai (for travel from October 26 until November 3) have gone up to Dh1,419 (on IndiGo) compared to Dh780-Dh890 levels only two weeks ago. “Mumbai to Dubai fares have risen to a little over Dh1,600,” said Hemali Shah, Managing Director of City One Tourism and Travel.
Fares on Etihad (Dh1,532), Air India (Dh1,711) and Emirates (Dh2,670 to Dh6,020) have also shot up despite Mumbai being a destination that enjoys very flight frequencies and connectivity.
Flights to Delhi are at Dh1,882 (Air Arabia) and Dh2,530 (Etihad), compared to the lows of Dh980 to Dh1,100 travelers enjoyed in September and early October. Jaipur flights average Dh2,261 (Air Arabia) to Dh3,060 (Air India Express), and to Kolkata are at Dh1,820 (Etihad Airways) and Dh2,330 (Emirates).
In fact, “Flights to Tier 2 cities (Nagpur, Indore, and Lucknow) are much higher than fares to top-tier cities like Mumbai and Delhi,” Hemali. “Sometimes travelers take connecting flights. However, given the short duration of the holidays, they prefer direct flights.”
Even ticket rates from Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah airports have risen considerably.
Many older travelers from India opt for travel packages costing Rs50,000-Rs60,000. They are also frequent visitors, including Lions Club members and kitty groups
In the South sector (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Karnataka), airline rates are, however, stable at Dh873 (Kochi), Dh1,385 (Chennai), and Dh1,009 (Hyderabad). Trips to Bengaluru, usually among the highest in the South sector - due to low connectivity - are also affordable at Dh1,220 (Etihad).
No slowdown in demand
According to Hemali, “While people complain about high airfares, they still travel. In some cases, seats were booked months in advance. The Indian market is usually price-conscious, focusing on the overall package cost and looking for several inclusions.”
Momentary spike
Fortunately, these are momentary spikes in prices. “It should stabilize after November 1-2 after the Diwali festivities, after which fares remain stable until it begins climbing for the UAE National Day holidays,” said Sapna.
Justin Sunny of Europe Travel and Tours, said, “Airfares fluctuate during this time, with September fares around Dh400 doubling for most destinations, except Kerala.”
Large groups, high spends
The travel agents also said that many inbound travelers opt for group travel to cut high costs. “Many older travelers or babyboomers opt for travel packages costing Rs50,000-Rs60,000,” said Sapna. “They are also frequent visitors, including Lions Club members and kitty groups. These groups often come with pre-planned agendas, which includes shopping, of course.”
