KOCHI: Airfares to Gulf countries from various destinations in the state have skyrocketed ahead of the school reopening there, scuttling the plans of many non-resident Keralites (NRKs).
The one-way fare for travel from Kochi to Dubai – for August 25 – starts from around Rs 40,000, almost triple the normal rate, as the peak-time fare charged by certain airlines have crossed the Rs 1 lakh mark.
“Private schools in the Gulf are reopening for the academic year 2024-25 on August 26. Even low-cost carriers are charging nearly thrice the normal fare of Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 for travel from Kochi to destinations like Dubai and Sharjah during non-peak hours. However, tickets are available at cheap rates (average Rs 6,000) in the return direction. The situation is the same in Thiruvananthapuram,” said an official with a prominent travel agency in Kochi.
As of now, the ticket prices start falling from August 27, with tickets available from Rs 24,000 onwards.
The rise in airfare comes even as experts have called for governmental intervention to ensure “reasonable pricing”, while accusing the airlines of creating artificial scarcity to charge exorbitant rates.
“This is yet another instance of the airlines creating artificial scarcity as part of their marketing strategy. There is no regulatory system here, giving full freedom to airlines to decide prices as per their will. This strategy is mostly applied on routes from south Indian cities to the Gulf,” alleged IATA Agents Association of India (IAAI) president Biji Eapen.
The association has demanded a regulatory system to fix the maximum fare that airlines can charge during different seasons.
“While increasing the airfare during peak season is understandable, many airlines are charging exorbitant rates. A maximum limit should be set and airlines should be asked to fix rates based on the season and the flying time,” Biji said.
Congress MP Shafi Parambil recently took up the issue in the Lok Sabha, seeking measures to regulate airfare.
“A majority of migrant workers in the Gulf region are unskilled or semi-skilled with limited income. Such acts by the airlines eyeing profit will burden them heavily. I’ll cite these instances and take up the issue once again,” said Shafi, who moved a private member’s resolution in the Lok Sabha on July 26.
Meanwhile, the Vadakara MP said he has also taken up with the civil aviation minister the issue of Air India Express cutting free baggage allowance from 30kg to 20kg during travel from the Gulf to various destinations in the country.
“The minister has promised action,” he said.