India Covid: Many UAE expats cancelling flight tickets, travel agents say

Dubai - Many travellers are postponing their tickets as they are expecting ease on curfew which makes them uncertain about travel date.

India flight tickets that had been booked for the Eid holidays are now being cancelled or postponed, travel agents told Khaleej Times on Tuesday.

Besides the surge in Covid cases back in India, the curfews and sudden change in restrictions without prior notice were cited as the main reasons behind the flight booking changes, they said.

“The travellers book their flight ticket a few weeks prior to their travel date. But the changes in Covid-19 restrictions came as a surprise to them. Many are cancelling their tickets due to uncertainty in restrictions in India,” said Raja Mir Waseem, manager of the Galadari International Travel Service (ITS).

He added: “Many travellers are postponing their tickets as they are expecting ease on curfew which makes them uncertain about travel date.”

Bharat Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels, said most cancellations and postponements were for flights in the Delhi and Mumbai sector.

“Indian expats in the UAE often go home to spend time with their families during festivals, like Eid Al Fitr. But this year, the situation is quite different. Travellers to Mumbai and Delhi are hesitant to travel due to the sudden spread of Covid-19. Some are also worried about getting stranded in India if a second lockdown is imposed,” said Aidasani.

Travel agencies are expecting an uptick in GCC air travel after May 17, as Saudi Arabia is set to resume international flights.

ayaz@khaleejtimes.com