Airspace Restrictions in West Asia: As Routes Shift, Flight Fares Goon Steep Ascent
Air fares from India to several international destinations have risen sharply in the past month, travel companies said, potentially intensifying worries for travellers especially families looking to head out for the summer holidays.
Airline operating costs are getting impacted by airspace closures due to the Israel-Iran conflict, forcing longer flight detours, and fuel price volatility, the companies said, adding lower seat capacity on certain routes is also weighing on the ticket prices.
Fares could rise further if route diversions and impact on flight frequencies continue, the companies said.
Europe is likely to see the sharpest fare hikes, especially for routes to France, Germany and UK, said Jatinder Paul Singh, global CEO of Viacation, a travel solutions provider.
'From India, airfares to Europe have gone up by 20–35% between March and July based on forward bookings data.'
Singh also noted short-term fare hikes on flights to some destinations in the Middle East. 'In North Asia, Japan and South Korea have also become significantly more expensive to reach,' he said.
A one way, non-stop Air France ticket for Delhi to Paris for July 1 costs about Rs 64,000 on a popular travel portal. A one way, non-stop Air India ticket for Mumbai to Japan for the same date costs ₹101, 698 per adult on the same website.
Ongoing geopolitical tensions in West Asia have resulted in temporary airspace restrictions, leading to longer flight durations on certain routes by two to four hours, increasing operational costs of airlines, and prompting 15-20% fare hikes on certain routes, said Bharatt Malik, senior VP, flights and hotel business at Yatra Online, an online travel company.
Last week, Air India diverted or recalled around 16 flights on transatlantic and European routes as Iran closed its airspace after Israel launched an attack targeting its nuclear and military sites. The Iranian airspace currently remains shut to most international flights.
A June 15 advisory by IndiGo, India's largest airline, said due to the airspace curbs, flight routes to and from the Gulf region were experiencing congestion which may cause delays on certain sectors. 'As we continue to operate via alternate paths, extended travel times may be expected,' the airline in a post on X. In an update on Thursday, Air India announced a temporary reduction in services operated by Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft from June 21 till at least July 15. The suspended routes include Delhi-Nairobi, Amritsar-London, Goa-London, while routes with reduced frequency include Delhi-Washington, Delhi-San Francisco, Delhi-Toronto, and Delhi-Tokyo. For some carriers, airfares for Dubai and Abu Dhabi are 10-15% higher from a month ago, while those to Japan and South Korea are 5-10% higher, said Abraham Alapatt, president and group head for marketing, service quality, value added services and innovation at travel company Thomas Cook (India).
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
S&P 500, Nasdaq finish lower; investors uneasy about Middle East conflict
The S&P 500 and Nasdaq ended lower on Friday, with investors on edge over the Iran-Israel conflict heading into the weekend, as the U.S. considers whether to get involved. Trading was choppy for much of the session. The S&P 500 also ended lower for the week, while the Nasdaq registered a weekly gain. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 23.7% Returns in last 5 years with Shriram Life's ULIP Shriram Life Insurance Undo Iran said it would not discuss the future of its nuclear program while under attack by Israel, as Europe tried to coax Tehran back into negotiations. The White House said on Thursday that President Donald Trump will decide in the next two weeks whether the U.S. will get involved in the Israel-Iran air war, adding pressure on Tehran to negotiate. "Investors are a little bit nervous about buying stocks right in front of this situation and, more specifically, right in front of this weekend," said Rick Meckler, a partner at Cherry Lane Investments in New Vernon, New Jersey. Live Events Israel's attacks have been aimed at suppressing Tehran's ability to build nuclear weapons. A week into its campaign, Israel said it had hit dozens of military targets. Tech-related megacap stocks, including Nvidia, were among the biggest negatives on the S&P 500 and Nasdaq. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 35.16 points, or 0.08%, to 42,206.82, the S&P 500 lost 13.03 points, or 0.22%, to 5,967.84 and the Nasdaq Composite lost 98.86 points, or 0.51%, to 19,447.41. For the week, the Dow was little changed, the S&P 500 was down 0.2% and the Nasdaq was up 0.2%. Friday's volume was higher than the recent average. The day marked a "triple-witching" event, which is the simultaneous expiration of stock options, stock index futures, and stock index options contracts that takes place once every quarter. U.S. exchanges' volume was 20.91 billion shares, compared with the 18.06 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days. Investors also weighed comments from Federal Reserve officials after the Fed on Wednesday left interest rates unchanged and Fed Chair Jerome Powell warned inflation could pick up pace over the summer as Trump's tariffs work their way to consumers. Fed Governor Christopher Waller said he felt the inflation risk from tariffs was small, and that the Fed should cut rates as soon as its next meeting. Richmond Fed President Tom Barkin took a more tempered view, saying there was no urgency to cut rates. Kroger shares jumped 9.8% after the grocery chain increased its annual sales growth forecast. Shares of Accenture fell 6.9% after the IT services provider said new bookings decreased in the third quarter. Declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.1-to-1 ratio on the NYSE. There were 102 new highs and 59 new lows on the NYSE. On the Nasdaq, 1,894 stocks rose and 2,651 fell as declining issues outnumbered advancers by a 1.4-to-1 ratio. (Additional reporting by Kanchana Chakravarty and Sukriti Gupta in Bengaluru; Editing by Devika Syamnath and Rod Nickel)
Time of India
38 minutes ago
- Time of India
Elon Musk's Tesla to open first showroom in India in July: Know city, EV models, price and more
The world's richest person, Elon Musk, is finally bringing Tesla to India. The electric vehicle giant is all set to open its first Tesla showroom in India this July, with Mumbai being the chosen city. After years of speculation and delays, this move marks Tesla's official entry into the Indian market, which is the third-largest car market in the world. Tesla's First Showroom in India to Open in Mumbai According to a Bloomberg report, Tesla is opening its first retail showroom in Mumbai, Maharashtra, in July. This marks a major step by Elon Musk to introduce Tesla cars in India. A second showroom is also reportedly in the pipeline for New Delhi, further strengthening the company's presence in the country. Tesla Starts Importing Model Y and Components Tesla has already begun importing the first batch of its Model Y electric SUVs along with spare parts, Supercharger units, accessories, and Tesla-branded merchandise. These items are being shipped from the United States, China, and the Netherlands, showing the brand's serious intentions to build a solid infrastructure here. The Model Y, currently the world's best-selling Tesla car, has arrived from Tesla's Gigafactory in Shanghai. Five rear-wheel drive units have been shipped to Mumbai, with each car valued at around Rs 27.7 lakh (approximately $31,988). Due to India's high import taxes, each car attracted over Rs 21 lakh in duties. This aligns with the country's 70% import tax on fully built electric vehicles (CBUs) priced under $40,000. Tesla Model Y India Price to Be Higher Than in the US In India, the Tesla Model Y is expected to cost over $56,000, excluding taxes and insurance. This is a lot more than its US base price of $44,990 (or $37,490 after government incentives). The steep price could be a challenge in India, where most buyers are price-conscious and value affordability over luxury. Can Tesla Succeed in India's Price-Sensitive Market? Electric vehicles (EVs) currently make up only about 5% of new passenger car sales in India. Of these, luxury cars form less than 2% of the total. This means Tesla will have to work hard to gain traction in a market where price plays a major role in buying decisions. However, despite these challenges, Elon Musk and Tesla seem confident about the Indian EV future. Earlier delays were mainly due to disagreements over high import taxes and the demand for setting up a local manufacturing plant. But now, Tesla is moving ahead with its India plans. Tesla Hiring and Expanding Infrastructure in India Tesla currently does not have an official country head after the exit of Prashanth Menon. However, the company is actively hiring for roles in retail, charging infrastructure, and public policy. It's also setting up warehousing operations in Karnataka and increasing its storage capacity near Gurugram, close to Delhi, to support its growing logistics needs. What This Means for Indian Car Buyers With Elon Musk's Tesla stepping into India, car buyers who have been waiting for high-performance electric vehicles now have a new option. The arrival of the Tesla showroom in India and the Model Y gives Indian consumers access to cutting-edge EV technology. However, unless Tesla finds a way to reduce costs—either by local production or reduced duties—it may remain a niche brand for now. Elon Musk's Tesla opening a showroom in India is a major moment for the country's electric vehicle market. Starting with Mumbai, and soon expanding to New Delhi, Tesla is making its presence felt. While the high price of a Tesla car could be a hurdle, the company's long-term success will depend on how well it adapts to Indian conditions and consumer expectations. For the latest and more interesting financial news, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here
Time of India
40 minutes ago
- Time of India
Macron challenges Europe to rival US, China in space
By Tim Hepher, Giulia Segreti, Makini Brice PARIS: President Emmanuel Macron threw France's backing behind plans for a European satellite manufacturing champion and called for accelerated deployment of Starlink-type satellites as he declared space the new theatre for world power competition. Speaking at the Paris Airshow on Friday, after France moved to take control of Starlink competitor Eutelsat , Macron called for an energetic push spanning launchers to manufacturing and services as he set out a strategy to counter the sprawling rocket-to-telecoms interests of U.S. billionaire Elon Musk. Staged amid the conflict between Israel and Iran, the world's largest aerospace event has mostly been dominated by geopolitical and trade tensions and fragile supply chains, rather than the usual glittering jetliner order announcements. On Friday, attention turned from defence displays to space. "At the intersection of all these public and private questions, as well as civil, military, scientific and industrial ones, space has in some way become a gauge of international power," Macron said in a speech to delegates. Europe has taken a lead in Earth observation but has struggled for years to keep up with the United States and China in a domain now considered as strategic as the planet's oceans. It lost independent access to orbit for more than a year in 2023 following technical problems, delays and a breakdown of ties with Russia over Ukraine that halted use of Soyuz rockets. Despite Europe being the world's largest exporter of satellites, its two main manufacturers - Airbus and a tie-up between Thales and Italy's Leonardo - have struggled to make money and want to pool those activities. "They have our full support and confidence. I want us to build this new champion as soon as possible," Macron said. "This is what will allow us, as Europeans, to have the scale to improve competitiveness and volume. It's a sector consolidation." Under pressure from Musk's cheaper low Earth-orbit Starlink satellites and a shift away from bespoke satellites in higher orbit, Airbus, Thales and Leonardo have said they are discussing plans code-named Project Bromo to forge a combined venture. Previous efforts to pool satellite-making have been thwarted by competition concerns. DEFENCE SPENDING In a third battleground, the importance of satellite services and connectivity has been highlighted by Ukraine. On Thursday, France agreed to inject $1.55 billion into debt-laden Eutelsat, sending its shares soaring. U.S. and Chinese spending on space dwarfs European budgets and insiders say industrial squabbling has curbed co-operation. The European Space Agency says the U.S. accounted for nearly two-thirds of the global space budget in 2023; Europe just 11%. Space budgets may get a lift from defence funds flowing into the sector. But fiscal room for Macron's new agenda is tight. "Partnership between public and private capital will be needed and this requires a considerable effort", said Jean-Pierre Darnis, associate fellow at the Foundation for Strategic Research. France is struggling to get public finances under control after spending spiralled higher last year. Europe is already hiking defence spending after U.S. President Donald Trump's team made clear that the United States was no longer willing to be the main guarantor of Europe's security. "The big story of this show is sovereignty in the wake of some of the statements by (Trump) questioning U.S. commitment to Europe and to NATO," said Vago Muradian, founder of the Defense & Aerospace Report. Macron flew into Le Bourget days before a NATO summit on a French Air Force A400M transport plane - itself a symbol of Europe's shifting priorities after years of battles over costs. The future of Europe's troop plane had been under threat after some of its European NATO sponsor nations including France and Spain slowed the pace of deliveries or cut their orders. Exports have also fallen short of expectations. But Airbus signed an agreement with procurement agency OCCAR at the show to stabilise production until 2029. Weapons makers and buyers are increasingly touting the label "ITAR-free" to avoid getting caught up in U.S. export controls for certain components, a senior European industry official said. ITAR stands for International Traffic in Arms Regulations. Some U.S. suppliers are scoping out ways of offering ITAR-free product lines to avoid being left out by the European spending wave, analysts said. The commercial side of the show fell silent on Friday after being overshadowed by last week's crash of an Air India Boeing 787 jet in India. Boeing sat out any announcements as Airbus and Embraer rolled out deals earlier in the week. Some airlines are shunning such shows to announce purchases in Washington or other capitals as aircraft become a currency of choice in a new style of transactional politics, delegates said. Organisers said the show nonetheless had record attendance.
