Airfares to Hit AED 3,000 for UAE-India Travel With Air India

Airfares for UAE-India routes are expected to increase by 300% during peak summer months because some Indian national carriers cancelled some busy routes in March. 

Airlines have deployed smaller aircraft for these routes, which has aggravated the situation, causing a spike in airfares. 

Travel agents have requested the Indian government to increase the passenger capacity of the UAE-India routes as it is highly demanded because of the huge outbound traffic growth the country is experiencing. 

Tata Group, which owns Air India and Air India Express, started cancelling and realigning flights from March 25th to different cities in India from the UAE including Goa, Indore, Kozhikode, and Cochin

Managing Director of Pluto Travels Avinash Adnani explained how bigger aircraft such as the Dreamliners have been replaced by smaller low-cost carrier AI Express jets, which have reduced passenger capacity for Indian routes, therefore increasing airfares. 

Adnani stressed that "if seating capacity is not increased ahead of the summer as passenger traffic from India is set for a huge spike this year as compared to last year, airfares are set to see a 25% hike from the current level.”

This development is problematic because the UAE-India route is one of the busiest routes due to the large number of Indian residents living and working in the UAE. 

Adnani said "Passenger traffic demand this year is expected to grow by over 20% as compared to last year...Even now, July fares to Delhi and other big cities are priced at around Dh1,500-Dh1,800 which goes up to Dh2,500-plus in July if you book the ticket now. And these will definitely touch Dh3,000, if not booked early.”

Other changes that have been made include the absence of Business Class in the low-cost carrier and the reduction of cargo capacity.