Flight bookings from Indian cities to Dubai have re-opened starting next week, according to travel websites. After extended ban on flights and much delay due to rapidly spreading Delta variant of Covid-19, routes from India to Dubai are expected to re-open on July 15. Abu Dhabi is to permit entry of Indian passengers from July 21. “We are expecting flights to open after Eid,” said a travel industry source. 

On travel resumption’s first day, the Indian carrier Vistara is scheduled to operate a flight from New Delhi to Dubai. Emirates airline and budget carrier flydubai are to restart their operations from India on July 16. Etihad Airways will resume flights from July 22.

Till date announcements

Previously UAE’s Emirates airline had said of resuming flights connecting India, South Africa and Nigeria to Dubai from June 23. This was after an announcement made by the Supreme Committee of Crisis and Disaster Management in Dubai that said passengers from India with a valid residence visa and who have received two doses of a UAE-approved Covid-19 vaccine will be allowed to travel to Dubai.

In the weeks till date, bookings had opened for a short period, during which several passengers had booked tickets for their UAE return. Amidst this confusion, Air India tweeted saying that flights between India and UAE would remain suspended until July 6 

On June 25, UAE’s General Civil Aviation Authority in a Notice Issued to Airmen (NOTAM) said flights from India and 13 other countries - including Liberia, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic Of Congo, Uganda, Zambia, Vietnam, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Nigeria and South Africa - will remain suspended until July 21.

Probable fares

Fares from India’s financial capital Mumbai to Dubai are in the range of Dh721 to Dh1,855. New Delhi is a little cheaper with the highest fare at Dh1,597. Tickets from the South Indian city of Kochi are fared at Dh2,799. Some flights are available for even Dh900.

Lift for Airlines

Re-opening is projected to be a big boost for airlines operating on these routes. Indian airlines particularly will depend more on international travel in the coming period as domestic travel is impacted adversely by the Delta variant. India’s domestic air traffic dropped 71 per cent in May compared to May 2019. This compares to April’s 42 per cent decline versus the same month two years ago. 

“The positive thing is that all of the indications are that the variants are still being dealt with by the vaccines that are in place,” said Willie Walsh, head of IATA (International Air Travel Association). “All of the vaccines are highly effective, particularly where people are fully vaccinated against all of the variants.” 

“You have to challenge whether putting additional restrictions in place to try and keep it out when it's already in. Does that make sense? In our opinion, it doesn't,” said Walsh, during a Wednesday media briefing.