Flight cancellations across Gulf deepen Kerala expatriate woes; Hajj operations set to begin

New Delhi: Widespread flight cancellations from the Gulf region to Kerala amid the ongoing West Asia conflict are placing thousands of Malayali expatriates under severe financial and logistical strain. 

Families who travelled to the Gulf on visiting visas are among the worst affected, with many reporting unexpected costs due to overstays caused by disrupted travel schedules.

In the United Arab Emirates, overstaying a visiting visa attracts a first-day penalty of 250 dirhams (approximately ₹6,308), followed by 50 dirhams (around ₹1,262) for each additional day, along with an exit fee of 69 dirhams (about ₹1,716).

A Kannur-based expatriate, Sabir, said he incurred expenses exceeding ₹28,000 after being forced to extend his stay by just one day. “I brought my wife and two children on a visiting visa. Due to delays, I had to stay longer, which led to heavy expenses. I later managed to get a ticket to Delhi, but flights to Kannur were extremely expensive. We stayed three days in a hotel in Delhi before returning home by train,” he said.

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According to industry estimates, Indian airlines have cancelled nearly 10,000 flights since the escalation of tensions in West Asia, with almost half of them operating to and from Gulf countries. Daily services, which previously ranged between 300 and 350 flights, have now dropped sharply to around 80–90.

Hajj 2026 travel schedule confirmed

Meanwhile, preparations are underway for this year’s Hajj pilgrimage, with Indian pilgrims set to begin travelling to Saudi Arabia from April 18.

The first flight carrying pilgrims from India will depart from Mumbai and land in Madinah, Saudi Arabia, according to officials from the Indian Hajj Committee and Indian Hajj Mission at a briefing held at the Indian Consulate in Jeddah.

Each flight is expected to carry around 400 pilgrims. A total of 1,22,580 pilgrims will travel under the Hajj Committee of India, while around 52,000 others will travel through private tour operators. This includes approximately 5,300 women pilgrims travelling without a male guardian (mahram).

The return journey is scheduled to begin on June 2, with the first return flight operating from Jeddah.

From Kerala, the first Hajj flight is scheduled to depart from Kochi on April 30 for Jeddah. Authorities have prioritised safety and healthcare arrangements for pilgrims. Cooking gas cylinders will not be permitted at accommodation sites, with authorised companies providing meals instead.

To facilitate Ziyarat visits in Madinah, around half of the Indian pilgrims will be provided transport via the Haramain High-Speed Railway.