MUSCAT: Mithun Sukumaran, an Indian expat resident, was fortunate enough to get a flight to Oman from Kochi for the first week of September for around OMR 160, as he booked the ticket by Monday afternoon as soon as reports of Oman lifting the travel restriction from India came.

With hundreds of Indians working in Oman reportedly stranded home, the flight tariff to Oman has started skyrocketing within hours after the Civil Aviation Authority announced terminating the ban on flights from India.

Travel industry sources said that immediately after the announcement, the fares to Oman from Indian destinations for September started escalating. “Our phones never stopped ringing after the decision was announced. We are seeing flights getting sold out especially from places like Kerala for the first week of September,” said Reena Abdulrahman, Chief Operating Officer of Alhind Travel and Tours.

An Air India Express flight from Kochi-Muscat cost OMR 247 on September 4, while a flight from Trivandrum to Muscat cost OMR 210 on September 5. A flight from Kannur to Muscat cost OMR 176 on September 4, while from Calicut the flight charge is OMR 194 on September 3. “This is due to the demand and initial buzz, I guess if people are ready to wait these prices will drop but now the demand is really high to most of the destinations,” Reena added. 

The decision to lift travel ban is a huge relief for thousands of residents who are stranded in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh since April. 

Rakesh Nair, Managing Director of Creative Glass Engineering and Miracle Solutions, was delighted that he can now bring his family back to Oman. “My wife and kids have been stranded in Kerala since April, and I was actually considering alternative routes to bring them here. It would have cost me a lot more, but now I am happy, I can finally see them,” Rakesh added.