MUSCAT: Prices of flight tickets have dropped significantly as passengers flying to Oman have to now shell out more money for travel in the wake of new COVID-19 rules including the mandatory institutional quarantine. 

According to airline and travel industry experts, flight ticket prices have dropped by 50% to some major destinations including India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. 

One can book a flight from Trivandrum to Muscat at OMR 50 this week as against OMR 120, while a flight from Dhaka to Muscat cost only OMR 80 as against OMR 170. “With Oman imposing a mandatory 7-day institutional quarantine, passengers are finding it difficult to spend for hotel stay,” said a travel expert based in Muscat. On an average, a traveller has to spend OMR 130 for a 7-day hotel stay. “But it could be double if the person test positive after his 7-day quarantine period so most of the passengers prefer to look at holding or cancelling their travel plans,” he said.

Drop in hotel occupancy

Many of the 3/4 star hotels that reported 100 percent occupancy has now dropped to 70% in less than a week. “Travel generally has become an expensive affair not just to Oman but to other GCC countries as well because of the restrictions in place,” said Reena Abdulrahman, Chief Operating Officer of Alhind Travel and Tours in Muscat. 

According to Reena, the situation is similar for outbound travellers as well. “A passenger who wants to fly to India is now thinking twice before he confirms his ticket because he needs to do many PCR tests and follow a strict quarantine procedures,” Reena explained.   

“February was an off peak season but March and April are peak season due to family travel, vacation and school holodays but due to the present situation it has all changed,” she said.   

While India has extended the air-bubble agreement with Oman, Reena says the need of the hour is “intra governmental and intra civil aviation coordination.” 

“Cash reserves are running down quickly as fleets are grounded and most flights are operating at only 50% capacity and this is causing a serious impact for the airline industry. Demand is drying up in ways that are completely unprecedented,” said Reena who has over 20 years of experience working with top airlines in the region. 

Ban on 10 countries extended

Meanwhile, the Supreme Committee on Wednesday extended the ban on arrivals from 10 countries until further notice to curb the spread of rising coronavirus cases. Passengers coming from Republic of Sudan, the Lebanese Republic, the Republic of South Africa, the Federative Republic of Brazil, the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the United Republic of Tanzania, the Republic of Ghana, the Republic of Guinea, the Republic of Sierra Leone, the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia will not be allowed to enter the country.