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India-UAE flights: Visit visa holders urged to book return ticket with same airline

Travel agents warn that failure to comply with this requirement may result in passengers being denied boarding

Visit visa holders who are flying from India to the UAE are being urged to book their roundtrip tickets on the same airline, travel agents said, citing advisories from some airlines.

Some travellers were reportedly unable to fly to the UAE because their return flights to India were booked on a different airline.

“Advisories from some airlines state that if the journey to the UAE is booked with them, the journey to India must also be booked with the same airline. Failure to comply with this new requirement may result in passengers being denied boarding,” Taha Siddique, director of Siddique Travels, told Khaleej Times.

“Some of my clients faced this issue as their ticket to Dubai was booked on one airline and the return was booked on another. I am now advising my clients that it would be better to book both legs of the journey on the same carrier,” said Siddique.

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This was supported by other travel agents. “I have also seen advisories from certain carriers that they will not be accepting travellers with tickets from different airlines,” said Noushad Hassan, managing director of Alhind Business Centre. “However, these advisories were mostly received by our office in India and not the UAE. In any case, it is advisable to book on the same carrier to avoid unnecessary complications.”

With more people being stopped from boarding their flights from India, agents are advising caution. “I believe it is better to book onward and return journey tickets on the same airline for hassle-free travel,” added Libin Varghese from Rooh Tourism.

Strict checks

The advisory on tickets comes after stricter checks were reportedly introduced at airports in Dubai. Travel agents said some passengers had to fly back home for not meeting certain requirements.

“We have seen cases of up to 40 passengers being returned on the same flight,” said Noushad.

As Khaleej Times reported earlier, travellers to the UAE must carry funds equivalent to Dh3,000, either in cash or on a credit card, and provide valid proof of accommodation, such as a hotel booking or a letter from a host in the country, including a copy of their Emirates ID. Additionally, they must have a confirmed return ticket to ensure compliance with visit visa conditions. Failure to do so could lead to the traveller being sent back to his or her home country.

“When a passenger is denied entry by the immigration section of any airport, the passenger’s return becomes the airline’s responsibility. In this process, the carriers lose money on seats,” said Bharath Aidasani, managing partner at Pluto Travels. “To avoid these circumstances, travellers who are not carrying the required documents and cash, are being denied boarding at the departure airports.”

Travel demand soars

With the summer season coming up, Aidasani said that more people are travelling from India to the UAE. “It's summer in India and people want to travel. The closest and ideal destination from any part of India is the UAE. We can see flights with full capacity and the airfares from India have also shot up,” said Aidasani.

Due to these stricter checks, travel agents are advising their passengers to ensure they have all the necessary documents before travelling. “In the last two days, we had a few passengers who were denied boarding passes at the Indian airports. Strict checks are being done so that they gain entry into the UAE and the airline doesn’t lose their seats,” said Mir Waseem Raja, manager at International Travel Services.

“We have seen an increase in the number of travellers being stopped at the airport because they do not have the required amount or proof of accommodation in the country,” said Libin.

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