OXYGEN EMERGENCY
AS INDIA BATTLES TO SAVE LIVES
India put oxygen tankers on special trains as hospitals pleaded for supplies. It reported 332,730 new cases and 2,263 deaths, setting a global record for a second straight day
Several Indian expats back home caught unawares by the UAE’s decision to suspend flights from India from Sunday had to dig deep into their pockets to purchase last-minute tickets.
Due to the explosive surge in Covid-19 cases in India, the UAE will suspend inbound passenger flights from India for 10 days with exemption given to transit flights and certain categories of passengers including UAE nationals, diplomatic passport holders and golden residency visa holders.
Dh2,000 for a flight
The decision created a scramble for Covid-19 tests and flight tickets in several Indian cities yesterday. Hundreds also opted to travel on charter flights by paying more than Dh2,000 for a one-way trip.
“Fares surged for all the airlines soon after the announcement. In some sectors, the ticket rates multiplied many times. Many people were unable to book tickets because of the high fares and the difficulties in getting Covid-19 test results,” said Nazim A.K, travel manager at Al Fain Travel in Dubai.
90-100 flights a day
Afi Ahmed, managing director of Smart Travel, said an estimated 30,000 to 40,000 passengers were expected to land in the UAE from India over the weekend. “There were about 90 to 100 flights operated daily from India to the UAE in the past couple of days. Some additional flights were opened as charters this weekend because of the rush. Most of the flights are already full and going by the calculations we made, around 35,000 passengers are expected to reach the UAE,” he said
“Some passengers opted for transiting through different Indian cities because they failed to get tickets from theirs. I know passengers who went from Kerala to Delhi on one airline and took Abu Dhabi flight of another airline,” he added.
Dh199 fares on flights from UAE to India
Ironically, the additional flights announced by airlines offered UAE to India fares as low as Dh199, ten times less than the fare charged for the return flights on the same aircraft. Travel experts said this was the cheapest flight ticket rate from the UAE to India in several decades.
“I came to the UAE 29 years ago and I have been in this [travel] field for 22 years. This is the first time I am seeing a fare less than Dh200 to India. This is something historic. It is just for one day. I don’t think it will happen ever again,” said Afi.
Big struggle back home
Dubai resident Praveen M.K, who had planned to fly back to his family here on April 28 said he struggled a lot to get a ticket from Kochi for today.
“I had to leave my home in Chalakudy around 6am to reach a lab in Kochi, which gives out the test report in 24 hours. After giving my swab, I went to the Air India Express office to book the ticket, but their booking system was down, I had to go to their office at the airport and get the ticket issued manually.”
Though he wanted to travel to Dubai, he said he finally managed to book his ticket on an evening flight to Sharjah for Dh1,375 as the Dubai flight was early in the morning and he was doubtful about receiving the test report in time.
Rescheduling of tickets
Another Dubai resident, who did not wish to be named, said she had flown to New Delhi and later travelled to Bengaluru.
“I was supposed to fly on April 30, but I booked the ticket on April 26 because I sensed this [flight ban] was coming. But I had to pay an equivalent amount of another ticket to get it changed to Saturday after one of my friends alerted me about the flight ban,” she said.
Test result a challenge
She said getting a test done last minute was another challenge. “I rushed early this morning for the test. The testing centre was full of people travelling. There is a huge backlog in all labs and hospitals. I just hope that my result comes out in time for me to fly. But I am sure I wouldn’t have even managed to get a test done had I still been in New Delhi.”
Expats in UAE worried about relatives in India
Sharjah resident Mercy Jose was in tears when she could not book a ticket for her daughter who had gone to Kerala for her college exam. “She is in Kollam and the nearest airport is in Thiruvananthapuram. We were not able to get any ticket online or through travel agents. I am looking for someone to go to the airline offices or airport to make a last-minute attempt to book a ticket for her,” she said at the time of filing this report.
An admin manager, Mercy said she was worried that the entry restrictions might get extended because of the massive spike in COVID-19 in India. “My husband and children had got stranded in India during the lockdown last year and I was all alone here for five months. I don’t want my daughter to feel lonely there. It’s always better for the whole family to be together,” she added.
Shraddha Naik, an occupational therapist in Al Ain, said she was concerned about her parents who were supposed to come over to the UAE in the first week of May. “They are in Mumbai where the Covid situation is extremely bad,” she said.