Seats on Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka routes sold out ahead of UAE flight suspension

Dubai - Karachi-Dubai tickets sold at Dh2,650, five times higher than the normal price.

There are no seats available from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka to the UAE ahead of the suspension of flights on Wednesday (May 12), while airfares have skyrocketed five times higher, travel industry executives told Khaleej Times.

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They said the UAE residents and businessmen stranded in the four South Asian countries are ready to pay exorbitant airfares to enter the UAE before Thursday (May 13). But they are not able to find even Business or First Class seats, despite willing to pay a premium.

“There are very limited seats and they’re also not available on most routes. There is a huge demand. but we are not getting seats from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Pakistan. There are few seats available from Karachi only,” said Bharat Aidasani, managing partner, Pluto Travels.

He said airfares have gone up exponentially in the last 24 hours, rising nearly five times. “One-way Karachi-Dubai airfare was Dh2,650, while the normal price was not even Dh500.”

The UAE has announced a suspension of entry for travellers from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka with effect from 11.59pm on Wednesday in a bid to contain the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. After the UAE, Kuwait has also announced the suspension of flights to and from four south Asian countries.

Aidasani noted that seats on Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka routes have been sold out, including Business and First Class.

“Up to five flights operate on these routes and around 80 per cent of them are occupied. So, not many people can be accommodated at the last moment. People who want to come back urgently are willing to pay around five times higher ticket prices,” said Aidasani.