Many residents are postponing their return from their vacations due to exorbitant airfares from the Indian subcontinent to the UAE, which is causing financial strain for them. Many UAE residents from India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are currently facing a challenge to return. One expat from Pakistan was even forced to cancel the return plans twice as a result of an excessive rise in airfares.
Saleem Ahmed, a Pakistani national, went on annual leave in June. However, he had to delay his return for personal reasons.
When changing his return ticket, he was unfortunately advised by the travel agent to cancel it and claim a refund to buy a new ticket later. This decision has landed him in trouble now. He has been trying to book return tickets but it is costing him more than Rs100,000 (Dh1,277) for a one-way return ticket.
“I tried to book it twice, but the price was too high. When I checked airfares on Wednesday for a flight 10 days later from Lahore to Dubai, the one-way return ticket was more than Rs135,000 (Dh1,700). I used to pay around Dh1,100-Dh1,200 for return tickets. This is creating a massive hole in my purse. Since many families are turning to UAE after the school summer break, airfares have gone through the roof,” said Ahmed.
Many expats from India, the Philippines, and Bangladesh have faced similar difficulties.
Shaffa Shahid, a teacher at a school in Sharjah, was eagerly anticipating her and her family’s return to the UAE following a well-spent vacation in her hometown. However, her plans were disrupted when she noticed an unexpected increase in the airfares. The family had planned to return mid-August but was forced to cancel their plans when the price of the ticket almost quadrupled in a couple of days.
