LAHORE: In a bid to apparently recover losses sustained because of the pandemic restrictions, domestic and foreign airlines have almost doubled fares to destinations such as Dubai, the US and Europe.

Some of the reasons cited by airline officials behind the massive increase in fares are the influx of passengers after foreign destinations lifted coronavirus travel restrictions, increase in fuel prices and devaluation of the rupee.

“For Dubai, the national flag carrier (PIA) is charging over Rs90,000 for an economy class return ticket and foreign airlines about Rs110,000,” an airline official said in conversation with Dawn on Thursday.

Hotel rents in Dubai, Turkey and elsewhere have also shot up

“Similarly, the economy class return ticket for the UK is between Rs280,000 and Rs350,000. A one-way economy class ticket for the US costs over Rs160,000,” he said, adding that an economy class return ticket for Istanbul was priced over Rs100,000.

“There are different reasons behind such a huge increase in airline fares. As countries are opening up after Covid-19 restrictions, passengers stuck here are flying out. Fuel prices have shot up and the Pakistani rupee is fast losing its value. So the domestic and foreign airlines are looking at it as an opportunity to compensate for losses they earlier suffered because of the pandemic,” the official remarked.

Another official said Dubai’s fare increased more than double because of the Expo 2020 and T20 Cricket World Cup under way, and airlines were booked to capacity. “Even hotel and apartment rents in Dubai, Turkey and elsewhere have shot up,” he added.

Published in Dawn, November 5th, 2021