Muscat: With the summer holidays and Eid al-Adha approaching, Malayali expatriates in Oman planning to travel home to Kerala have received a welcome relief — a significant drop in air ticket prices.
Compared to recent weeks, current fares on flights from Oman to various Kerala sectors have fallen by nearly half. Despite the announcement of public holidays for Eid, the expected surge in ticket prices has not materialized.
For instance, Air India Express tickets from Muscat to Kozhikode are now available starting at 53 Omani Riyals, whereas passengers who booked the same route for the same dates in previous weeks paid over 150 Riyals.
Other routes have seen similar reductions:
- Muscat to Kochi: from 66 Riyals
- Muscat to Kannur: from 62 Riyals
- Muscat to Thiruvananthapuram: from 73 Riyals
Previously, tickets on these routes were priced at 160 Riyals or higher. A similar price drop is also noted on flights from Salalah to Kochi.
Travel agencies had expected a massive rush due to the overlap of Eid and summer vacations. Some airlines had even quadrupled their fares in anticipation. However, the expected surge in bookings did not occur, according to travel industry sources.
Many expatriates had already traveled home in advance, reducing current demand. This unexpected drop in bookings has now led airlines to lower their fares drastically.
Travel agents also report that the new, affordable prices are prompting even those who hadn’t planned earlier to prepare for a last-minute trip home.
Still, some travelers are disappointed that the Eid public holiday is limited to just five days. However, many are planning to take additional leave to extend their stay by including the following weekend.
