Air travel to subcontinent gets costlier

DUBAI - With oil prices continuing to skyrocket, travellers on Gulf-subcontinent sector have been hard hit due to last week’s increase in airfares by various national carriers, according to airline sources. However, ticket prices of Gulf carriers will not be affected, they said.


A fuel surcharge hike of Dh20 for Air India and Indian airline tickets already became effective on December 3 after a review on November 12.

It follows a peak of oil prices in November, just shy of $100 a barrel, particularly affecting aircraft turbine fuel (ATF) in India. A one-way ticket on Indian airline will now include a fuel surcharge of Dh310, up from Dh 290, said A.B Pathak, Regional Manager Gulf for Indian airline.

Jayashree Ramachandran, Marketing Manager-Dubai and Northern Emirates for Air India also said there has been a similar increase of Dh 20, effective last Tuesday . Meanwhile, a Bangladesh Biman airline official said that the carrier on Tuesday last, had implemented a fuel surcharge hike on the Dhaka-Dubai flight, in line with the competing airlines. The official said it was likely that this surcharge would also be added to the Dubai-Dhaka tickets.

Pakistan International Airlines does not carry a fuel surcharge and currently has no plans to implement one, said an official.

However, Gulf carriers, including Emirates and Etihad, had decided earlier this year not to implement a fuel surcharge and officials said any change in ticket prices was seasonal.

But, fare hike remained a concern for Vinod C., planning a trip back home to India for his wife and two children this month. “If you’re going as a family it adds to your costs,” he said. “Dubai costs are going up and you don’t know where to cut costs.”

Vinod C. said he had tried to travel with budget airlines, but less regularly.

Punam M. was travelling by herself to Hyderabad this month and had booked the ticket one and a half months in advance to ensure she had it cheaper.

An Air India Express official said low cost carriers, like their airline, were more affected by load factors or increase in demand rather than by fuel prices, as they aimed to keep their prices significantly lower and travelled to closer destinations.

“We have a dynamic fare structure already,” he said. “Prices do vary during peak season when the load factors increase.” Because load factors drive low cost carriers ticket prices, it is recommended passengers book early.

However, UAE residents hoping to go further afield over Eid al Adha, Christmas or New Year by international airlines may still be affected by fuel prices.

British Airways Middle East commercial manager Paul Starrs said the airline was constantly reviewing its price structure to stay competitive but admitted fuel costs were a factor in ticket prices.

“Firstly, I believe it’s a myth that airlines fares are always rising; they tend to fluctuate depending on the time of year and other factors, including fuel costs,” he said.