Despite low fares, Indians not flying home
Air tickets to India may be at an all-time low, however, most expats are not flying home — owing to a highly volatile travel regulatory market, stringent Covid testing and quarantine regulations, and high numbers of Covid cases in India.
Indian expatriates, travel agents, and industry experts have said low ticket prices are “not at all encouraging passengers to take a trip home”. Passengers are reporting that they need to undergo at least five PCR tests in case they need to travel to India for a two-week trip. Agencies have said the trend is expected to change only by the end of March, when the exam period for Indian schools concludes.
Swati Chawla, a business consultant in Dubai, told Khaleej Times: “I had planned a trip to visit my aged parents in Mumbai in mid-March. I realised my family and I had to undergo at least five PCR tests at our own expense. That is not at all feasible.”
Passengers need to undergo one test each before and after departure, another one seven days after arrival, one before returning to Dubai, and the final one upon arrival. “Not only is it expensive, but my kids are still small. I can’t put them through those tests repeatedly,” said Chawla.
The cheapest return ticket prices to Delhi is approximately Dh699, Dh748 to Hyderabad, Dh675 to Mumbai, and Dh711 to Kochi, said Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travels.
“Earlier, one-way tickets from India to the UAE were priced at about Dh600. Now, one-way tickets are going for as low as Dh250 to Dh310, depending on the destination,” he added.
Low-cost tickets, however, did not matter to passengers who are just not interested in travelling at the moment. “A majority of repatriation cases have gone back. Families are not travelling due to the PCR regulations. Also, end-ofterm examinations are ongoing, so families with school-going kids
Families are not travelling due to the PCR regulations. Also, end-of-term examinations are ongoing, so families with school-going kids won’t travel at the moment.” Afi Ahmed, managing director, Smart Travels
People are still scared that the regulations may change at any time. The main fear is that they might get stuck in transit.” Hemali Shah, managing director, City One Tourism
won’t travel at the moment,” Ahmed said.
TP Sudheesh, general manager of Deira Travel and Tourist Agency, said: “The new regulations have created a lot of negative impact”. “Only those with absolutely unavoidable reasons are travelling now. The pre-travel requirements, the excessive number of PCR tests, and the regulations in different states (are affecting travel decisions). For example, in Karnataka, there is no testing for international arrivals except those coming from the UK,” he explained.
However, Sudheesh anticipates that by the second week of March, the introduction of the IATA travel pass may create a shift in the trend. “It is said that those who are fully vaccinated may not have to undergo mandatory quarantine. Also, India is on an aggressive vaccination drive and this may reduce Covid-19 numbers.”
Hemali Shah, managing director of City One Tourism, said people are not travelling unless it is absolutely necessary. “Many of those who had emergency travel plans left before the new regulations kicked in.”
But there remains a ‘niche set of travellers’ who are now travelling to destinations like the Maldives, in a bid to avoid quarantine in the UK, Shah said. “People are still scared that the regulations may change at any time. The main fear is that they might get stuck in transit,” she explained.
Sudheesh added that this category of travellers is “very small”. “Less than 10 per cent of the population travel in this manner. Middle-income groups cannot afford to take diversions of this kind,” he explained.
In Dubai, volunteers go above and beyond the call of duty to provide every kind of support in the time of Covid-19. But many do not know that in the city, when someone dies of Covid, the team does everything to offer comfort to grieving families.
Once, volunteers completely managed the funeral of a woman who died from the virus at a private hospital, upon the request of her family. In another case, they fulfilled a man’s wish of seeing a photo of his father’s grave. At times, they offer not only emotional support but financial aid, too. Countless messages of appreciation have poured in for the team from different organisations, including a note of gratitude from the Catholic community in the UAE.
For the Dubai Government’s volunteer team, it is a priority to speed up procedures that need to be followed when a person dies of Covid. In coordination with local and federal entities, the team ensures all post-mortality protocols are rigorously followed in order to reduce the burden on the family of the victim during a time of mourning.
Once a Covid death is reported, the volunteer team establishes contact with the deceased individual’s families. Moral and financial support is immediately extended to families of different cultures and faiths. Procedures related to the funeral are also expedited.
“I consider my participation in the volunteer team as part of my national duty,” said Ahmed Huraimel, who leads the volunteer team. “Our leadership has taught us the importance of helping those in need. The team’s mission is to ensure protection, dignity and respect for the deceased and their families regardless of their faith and help them expedite funeral procedures according to approved protocols.”
Formed at an early stage of the pandemic, the team comprised volunteers from different government entities in the emirate — from the Dubai Police to the Dubai Electricity and Water Authority,
Dubai Courts, Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Dubai Future Foundation, Dubai Municipality and Dubai Public Prosecution.
Another example of the UAE’s humanitarian spirit, the volunteers’ initiatives are part of several efforts to support people affected by the pandemic.
“The team is composed of remarkable committed volunteers who are determined to demonstrate the humanitarian values of the UAE through initiatives on the ground,” said Huraimel, who is also the advisor for the ‘Dubai The Model Centre’ initiative of the General Secretariat of The Executive Council of Dubai.
Since its establishment, the team has made several recommendations to support the families of Covid-19 victims. In collaboration with the Dubai Municipality, it has trained and qualified people to deal with deceased women and provided safety training for non-Muslims.
The team’s mission is to ensure protection, dignity and respect for the deceased and their families regardless of their faith.” Ahmed Huraimel adviser, Dubai The Model Centre