India-UAE ticket rates are dropping since last week despite steady travel demand

India-UAE ticket rates are dropping since last week despite steady travel demand

Dubai: Return fares on some India-to-UAE flights are starting to drop as the former rolls back COVID-19 related travel requirements. According to travel industry sources, return fares on select routes are now at around Dh1,200 on average compared with Dh2,500 just a week ago. “The Pune airport is also open, which means people no longer have to travel all the way to Mumbai to board a Dubai flight,” said one travel agent in Dubai. Dubai, Doha and Sharjah were the top international destinations from Mumbai airport last year, replacing previous placeholders such as London Heathrow and Newark. Last week, India said that passengers from more than 80 countries would be allowed to travel to the country with just a negative RT-PCR test report or a certificate of completing the primary vaccination schedule. The list features travellers from the US, the UK, Switzerland, Australia, Sweden, Spain and Sri Lanka, but does not presently include UAE. “At present, we haven’t heard anything on this from the authorities,” said a spokesperson for Dubai Link Tours. “We usually get a circular from Emirates airline notifying us of any changes, but this time there was nothing. Demand is strong with a lot of people travelling