Latest news with #InternationalTravelServices
Khaleej Times
20-05-2025
- Business
- Khaleej Times
India, Pakistan flights: One-way ticket to UAE for Dh9,100 as expats rush back after ceasefire
Airfares from Pakistan and some Indian cities have seen a massive increase as UAE residents stuck in their home countries reschedule their return dates following the ceasefire between the two neighbours. Travel agents in the UAE said they are witnessing a lot of enquiries and demands from the UAE residents who went to India and Pakistan for holidays before the military escalation and want to return early, fearing flights may be suspended again if the situation escalates. Following the ceasefire initiated by US President Donald Trump, Pakistan and India has reopened airports and announced the resumption of flights. Reschedule return date Pakistani national Ijaz Khan, a businessman in the UAE, has been stuck in his home country due to the war. 'I'm trying to move ahead my return to the UAE during this ceasefire. I'm trying to arrange my return as soon as possible because I don't know what the situation will be with regard to commercial flights,' said Khan. Saleem Akhtar, currently in Lahore on vacation and looking to return to the UAE, said airfares are quite high over the next few days only. 'Those people whose flights were cancelled over the past 3-4 days are rebooking now. Therefore, airfares have spiked this week till May 17. We see airfares on May 18 and beyond are normal,' he said. Dh3,900 India-UAE one-way fare One-way airfare from Delhi to Dubai for Monday flight on a full-fledged carrier reached Rs44,670 (Dh1,920) due to the closure of airports in the Indian Punjab during military escalation, resulting in a large number of residents opting to fly from Delhi airport. However, the one-way airfare drops steadily and will reach just around Dh910 by Friday. Meanwhile, Delhi-Abu Dhabi airfares stood at Rs51,600 (Dh2,230) for Monday and Rs90,300 (Dh3,900) for Tuesday. Meanwhile, airfare on a budget carrier on Delhi-Sharjah flights ranged between Dh1,360 and Dh1,180 over the next few days due to high demand. Dh9,100 Pakistan-UAE one-way fare Similarly, for Monday, Lahore to Dubai airfare on UAE carriers touched as high as nearly Rs700,000 (Dh9,100) but dropped to around Rs390,000 (Dh5,100) on Friday. A local carrier website showed seats on Lahore-Abu Dhabi almost sold out till Wednesday due to heavy passenger traffic with airfares reaching Rs540,000 (Dh7,050). Meanwhile, one-way airfares on Pakistani airlines reached around Dh2,350 for Monday and Tuesday. Hundreds of flights from Pakistan were cancelled over the past few days due to the closure of airspace. This has created a massive backlog for the airlines to deal with. If the ceasefire continues to hold, travel industry executives suggested that airfares will take at least 4-5 days to return to normal levels due to exceptionally high demand. 'There is a strong demand from people stuck in India and Pakistan because they want to return to the UAE as soon as possible,' said Mir Wasim Raja, manager of International Travel Services (ITS). 'Because of strong demand, airfares have gone up by 20 per cent as flights are operating at full capacity,' Raja told Khaleej Times in an interview. Summer holiday rush Avinash Adnani, partner at Neo Travel and Tourism, also confirmed that there are many inquiries from people stuck in India and Pakistan due to the military escalation. 'There were regular daily flights from Chandigarh and Amritsar airports to the UAE. However, due to the closure of airports in these two cities, passenger traffic has been diverted to Delhi. Therefore, airfares from Delhi to Dubai have rocketed,' said Adnani. 'In India, schools are closed, and people are waiting for clarity on the military situation. We hope the situation will be clearer in the next 48 hours.' For Pakistan, the UAE and Pakistani carriers have resumed flights between the two countries as Pakistan reopened its airspace for commercial flights. 'Once Chandigarh and Amritsar airports reopen for commercial flights and UAE carriers begin full-scale operations to Pakistan, airfares are likely to normalise within a few days from the two countries,' he added.
Khaleej Times
09-04-2025
- Khaleej Times
Saudi visa suspended for some visitors? UAE travel agents seek clarity for Umrah pilgrims, travellers
UAE-based travel agents and Umrah operators are seeking clarity from Saudi authorities as they are facing difficulties in getting visit and pilgrimage visas. According to some, visa issuance has been suspended in preparation for the upcoming Haj season. This has impacted UAE residents who had planned to travel to Saudi Arabia for business, family visits, and religious purposes. 'We, and many of our clients, are awaiting more information and seeking clarity on travel to Saudi. Many UAE residents are waiting to travel to the Kingdom and are asking us to apply for visa, which is not being issued for now,' said Mir Waseem Raja, manager at International Travel Services. 'Our clients and travelers are asking us continuously for updates on the visa front.' Authorities in Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that Umrah pilgrims can last enter the country on April 13. Raja said UAE residents who already hold valid multiple-entry Saudi visas will not be permitted to enter the Kingdom after April 13 either. 'People who have single-entry visas can also travel before April 13 but must exit the Kingdom before April 29,' he added. Umrah operators said they are unable to get any categories of visas issued whether they are multi-entry, single-entry, Umrah, or family visit. 'It's the Haj season … and we do not have complete clarity on visa approvals yet. We are also waiting for a clear picture from the Saudi authorities,' said Shihab Perwad from Rehan Al Jazeera Tourism. 'We have been applying, and while the system accepts the applications, the status remains 'on standby.' 'One of our clients insisted on applying irrespective of the outcome, but the visa is still pending. Issuance [of the visa] is not guaranteed at this stage.' Perwad said the issue isn't restricted to certain nationalities as reported by some media. Those who are already in the Kingdom on visit visas must exit before April 29. Failing to do so will result in a fine of SAR 100,000, a sharp increase from the earlier penalty of SAR 25,000. Additionally, Umrah operators whose clients overstay may face severe consequences, including the suspension of their quota for future pilgrimages. 'Visa issuance is expected to resume on Dhul Hijjah 20, which corresponds to July 16 or 17, 2025, in the Gregorian calendar, based on moon sighting,' said Perwad. With thousands of UAE residents hoping to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks, industry players say immediate guidance from Saudi authorities would help prevent confusion, unintentional overstays, and disruptions to travel plans.
Khaleej Times
08-04-2025
- Khaleej Times
Saudi visa suspended for Haj? UAE travel agents seek clarity on entry permits for Umrah pilgrims, visitors
UAE-based travel agents and Umrah operators are seeking clarity from Saudi authorities as they are facing difficulties in getting visit and pilgrimage visas. According to some, visa issuance has been suspended in preparation for the upcoming Haj season. This has impacted UAE residents who had planned to travel to Saudi Arabia for business, family visits, and religious purposes. 'We, and many of our clients, are awaiting more information and seeking clarity on travel to Saudi. Many UAE residents are waiting to travel to the Kingdom and are asking us to apply for visa, which is not being issued for now,' said Mir Waseem Raja, manager at International Travel Services. 'Our clients and travelers are asking us continuously for updates on the visa front.' Authorities in Saudi Arabia announced on Monday that Umrah pilgrims can last enter the country on April 13. Raja said UAE residents who already hold valid multiple-entry Saudi visas will not be permitted to enter the Kingdom after April 13 either. 'People who have single-entry visas can also travel before April 13 but must exit the Kingdom before April 29,' he added. Umrah operators said they are unable to get any categories of visas issued whether they are multi-entry, single-entry, Umrah, or family visit. 'It's the Haj season … and we do not have complete clarity on visa approvals yet. We are also waiting for a clear picture from the Saudi authorities,' said Shihab Perwad from Rehan Al Jazeera Tourism. 'We have been applying, and while the system accepts the applications, the status remains 'on standby.' 'One of our clients insisted on applying irrespective of the outcome, but the visa is still pending. Issuance [of the visa] is not guaranteed at this stage.' Perwad said the issue isn't restricted to certain nationalities as reported by some media. Those who are already in the Kingdom on visit visas must exit before April 29. Failing to do so will result in a fine of SAR 100,000, a sharp increase from the earlier penalty of SAR 25,000. Additionally, Umrah operators whose clients overstay may face severe consequences, including the suspension of their quota for future pilgrimages. 'Visa issuance is expected to resume on Dhul Hijjah 20, which corresponds to July 16 or 17, 2025, in the Gregorian calendar, based on moon sighting,' said Perwad. With thousands of UAE residents hoping to visit Saudi Arabia in the coming weeks, industry players say immediate guidance from Saudi authorities would help prevent confusion, unintentional overstays, and disruptions to travel plans.
