There is no doubt that air travel across the Gulf is facing operational pressures amid current regional tensions. Disruptions and security concerns have affected routes and capacity. However, these realities cannot justify the sharp and seemingly arbitrary increase in ticket fares on Gulf–India sectors.
In particular, fares for travel to India from key Middle East hubs such as Dubai, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman have risen excessively. Ticket prices that usually ranged from ₹8,000 to ₹18,000 have now soared to between ₹40,000 and ₹80,000 — leaving expatriate families stunned.
The seriousness of the issue is heightened by the approaching Eid Al Fitr. With just a couple of weeks left until Ramadan ends, thousands of Indian families are preparing to travel home. For many expatriates who spend the year separated from their loved ones, celebrating Eid with their families is not just a wish – it is a spiritual necessity. While children await to see their parents, parents count the days until they can embrace their children. In such circumstances, steep fare hikes feel less like routine market adjustments and more like a failure of empathy.
Amidst the war-like situation and the Eid rush, it is unfortunate that airlines are viewing this as a golden opportunity to increase profits. Raising prices when demand increases is a market policy; but when applied without social responsibility, it turns into exploitation.
The contribution of expatriate workers to India’s economy is invaluable. A large share of foreign exchange earnings comes from Gulf countries. Yet it is they who bear the greatest financial burden. If a family of four needs to travel at current rates, the cost now runs into lakhs of rupees. For ordinary salaried expatriates, this is an unbearable burden.
This situation calls for urgent policy attention. Authorities could consider fixing maximum fare caps, allowing additional charter services, or deploying extra flights by national carriers. Market freedom must not override human rights and social responsibility.
The anxiety caused by regional instability is already high. Escalating airfares that effectively prevent families from reuniting during Eid only deepen that distress. This profit-driven approach must be reconsidered.
If airlines that are expected to show compassion and responsibility during times of crisis display only cold calculation, public trust in them will erode. The practice of reaping profits over the tears of ordinary expatriates must end. Otherwise, a strong social backlash against such policies will become inevitable
