Muscat: With ticket prices still very high, many Indians stranded for months in India have decided to put off their return to Oman.
Thomas George, a staff of a leading travel agency in Muscat, said rates are on the higher side currently, which will stay this way till this month end. “For many, paying a higher ticket cost is way better than spending for a detour to a destination and staying for two weeks, with an additional 7-day institutional quarantine on arrival in Oman.”
When the ban was lifted from September 1, along with the removal of mandatory institutional quarantine for vaccinated people, there was relief as people could now return to Oman, even though ticket rates were high.
Vicky Prabhu, who works as a chef with a leading restaurant in Muscat, said his company sent him the ticket as soon as the news was announced about the opening of normal flights. “I knew that the ticket was expensive but that was a much better option than losing money on several lost events and occasions due to my absence.”
Priya Ilango, currently in Mumbai, had a flexible ticket that allowed her one change of date, provided seats were available. “But as the rush from Mumbai was too heavy, obviously there was none available in my booking class and what was available was not within my budget. So, I rebooked for October first week on Oman Air, which was the best option in comparison.”
A return ticket to Calicut towards October end, early November on Oman Air booking site cost around RO 200. This in comparison to the current sector-price from Oman to any of the three airports in Kerala on Oman Air for RO 410. Go Air flights are available to Oman from October 1 for INR 29,388, for a one-way ticket from Kannur to Muscat.
