Airfare Crisis: Europe-India Flights Hit Rs 9 Lakh as Gulf Conflict Disrupts Routes
Flyers attempting to purchase tickets on European carriers that are avoiding Gulf sectors received a severe shock on Monday, with a single economy class ticket on a direct flight from London to Mumbai reaching an astonishing Rs 2.9 lakh. In business class, the fare escalated to a staggering Rs 9 lakh. Typically, a one-way economy fare between these two major cities ranges from Rs 20,000 to Rs 40,000, while business class fares are usually between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh.
Massive Fare Hikes and Passenger Distress
While many travelers chose to remain stranded at their locations rather than pay exorbitant amounts, some desperate individuals purchased tickets at astronomical rates on carriers including British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, Lufthansa, KLM, and Air France. Air India and IndiGo also operated certain flights at record-high fares. According to airline officials, part of the price increase is due to longer routes required to bypass the conflict-ridden Gulf sector.
Air traffic control officials reported that flights departing from Mumbai traveled via Oman, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Greece, Italy, and France to reach the United Kingdom. Foreign carriers leaving Delhi flew over Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Istanbul. However, a more significant portion of the fare hike stems from a severe demand-supply gap, with over 700 flights canceled daily due to the ongoing conflict.
Widespread Flight Cancellations and Stranded Passengers
Although Etihad initiated evacuation flights and Emirates announced plans to follow suit on Tuesday—with over 20,000 Indians stranded in the UAE—both carriers canceled scheduled flights on Monday and Tuesday. Kolkata airport officials confirmed that Gulf-based carriers announced the cancellation of 20 flights over two days: eight Emirates Airlines flights, four flights each by Etihad and Qatar Airways, and two flights each by Air Arabia and FlyDubai.
Roma Subnani, a resident of CIT Road, was among those affected. She was scheduled to travel to Dubai on Sunday with four family members for a function, but the trip was canceled after their flight was axed. "We were booked on Emirates. We placed a request for a refund but have been unable to contact the Emirates customer care center," Subnani stated.
Partha Sarathi Saha posted on social media about his connecting flights scheduled for March 3 from Copenhagen to Doha and onward to Kolkata on Qatar Airways. "The customer care isn't picking up the call. Please help or guide," he pleaded. Nehal Ahmed reported that his flight EK572 from Dubai to Kolkata, scheduled for 1:15 PM on Sunday, was canceled. Another passenger, Anish Saraogi, said he was stranded in Dubai after the same flight was called off. "I tried for the past 12 hours, and all the methods to contact you were closed," he posted.
Travel Industry Response and Alternative Routes
Travel agents with clients booked for travel to Gulf cities or onward to Europe or the US advised them to postpone their trips. "Given the current fares, it does not make sense to travel to Europe unless one has urgent business commitments," said Anil Punjabi, Chairman (East) of the Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI). Anjani Dhanuka, Chairman (East) of the Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI), noted that those needing to travel urgently to the US east coast were booked on Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Malaysia Airlines flights that travel east across the Pacific.
Travel agent Manav Soni added, "There is no clarity on when the situation will improve," highlighting the uncertainty facing the aviation industry and passengers alike. This airfare crisis underscores the profound impact of geopolitical conflicts on global travel, leaving thousands in limbo and forcing airlines to adopt costly alternative routes.
