Inbound UAE airfares nearly double ahead of school openings later this month when expats and nationals return to the country after long summer breaks.
Mid-August is usually the time when many UAE families return from vacations and home country visits, leading to higher demands and steep rise in airfares. Most UAE schools are scheduled to reopen around August 26 and families usually plan their return a few days prior.
Travel agents in Dubai said many destinations across the Middle East, Asia and Europe see an increase in inbound airfares as demand outpaces supply. A major increase in airfares is witnessed on the Indian subcontinent routes given that South Asian nationals account for more than half of the UAE’s population.
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Data showed that airfares rise by over 50 per cent on the Indian routes amid back-to-school rush, especially from Mumbai and Kerala. Travel agents confirmed that airfares on some routes nearly double during this peak season.
Recently, the exorbitant rates from India to the UAE were also highlighted in the Indian parliament. There have been calls from residents as well as travel agents for quite some time about expanding the seating capacity between the UAE and India to meet the rising demand.
Airfares double
Rashida Zahid, vice-president of operations at Musafir.com, said the surge in UAE-bound airfares leading up to August’s school openings is primarily driven by the influx of expatriate families returning to the country.
“As families prepare to return for their children’s new academic year, the demand for flights skyrockets. The increased demand and limited flight availability during peak travel periods inevitably drive up ticket prices. Airlines often adjust fares to accommodate higher demand, resulting in significant price hikes. Additionally, school holidays in various countries align with the UAE’s academic calendar, which worsens the travel rush,” she said.
Rashida added that while airfares tend to increase across various regions during peak travel periods, the Indian subcontinent witnesses the most dramatic price hikes, with fares nearly doubling ahead of school re-openings due to a massive influx of returning expatriates.
“In contrast, Europe and the Middle East experience more moderate fare increases, as many travellers opt for round trips and can adjust their travel dates to avoid peak periods,” said Musafir’s vice-president.
Peak of the peak seasons
TP Sudheesh, general manager, Deira Travel and Tourist Agency, said August 15 to early September has been historically a peak of the peak seasons and the longest one also for inbound travel to the UAE as the summer travel season comes to an end.
“There is a huge variation in supply and demand during this season. Hence, airfares go up during this period. All the carriers are not able to accommodate demand. It is also the longest travel season. For example, the Eid holiday rush is just for 3-4 days while Christmas travel peaks for one week. But this inbound travel season runs for weeks,” he said.
Sudheesh added that India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are the main routes that see very high demand for air travel.
“Similarly, there is a huge demand on the African routes also for incoming flights during the end of August,” added Sudheesh.
Drop in airfares in September
Sudheesh said the inbound airfares will not drop overnight, but decline slowly over a week or so.
“Many UAE and Arab families travel to Europe where they stay there for a long time. They will also be returning to the UAE later this month, hence, a similar trend is witnessed in this sector as well.”
Rashida Zahid said inbound UAE airfares are expected to gradually decline after the initial peak in August. “Travellers can anticipate a remarkable drop in prices from the first week of September onwards, as the back-to-school rush subsides and demand stabilises.”