Airline fares between UAE, Pakistan skyrocket as Eid nears

DUBAI: The UAE-based airlines have increased ticket prices of all outbound flights to Pakistan, as expats rush back home for the long Eid break, the Gulf News reported on Tuesday.

The flights to Karachi can cost around Dh4,000 to Dh6,000, whereas the fares for Lahore were much cheaper at around Dh1,300 than other cities of Pakistan, while Islamabad can cost in the range of Dh800 to Dh1,500.

The surge in ticket prices could also be attributed to restrictions on foreign airlines operating to Pakistan due to the Covid-19 precautions. The Civil Aviation Authority of Pakistan has curtailed inbound international flight operations to 20 per cent of the actual summer 2021 schedule up to July 15.

The schedules on booking websites show that Emirates, Flydubai and Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways are only operating flights to Karachi at the moment, whereas the Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) is connecting Dubai and Abu Dhabi to all other major cities.

The UAE has declared that the Eid-ul-Azha and Arafat Day holidays for ministries and federal bodies will be from July 19 to July 22, translating into a six-day long break.

The passengers seem to be counting on the fact that the return flights from Pakistan to Dubai will become available on July 21, a date confirmed by the Emirates and Etihad Airways.

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