Karippur, Kerala: Travellers from Gulf countries to Kerala are facing a sharp rise in airfare, with ticket prices increasing up to fivefold. The surge in fares is primarily attributed to the mid-summer school vacation, the Eid holiday, and the Vishu festival. The rise has significantly impacted Gulf sectors with a substantial expatriate population, including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman.

Air India Express has increased its Dubai-Kozhikode fare from ₹21,000 to ₹39,921. Meanwhile, airlines like IndiGo are charging ₹43,916 for the same route during Vishu. Kozhikode-Dubai fares, previously priced between ₹9,000 and ₹10,000, now range from ₹33,029 to ₹42,000. Ticket prices from Kerala to Gulf destinations like Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, and Oman, once available for less than ₹12,000, have now surged to ₹40,000 to ₹60,000.

Airports in Nedumbassery, Kannur, and Thiruvananthapuram are also witnessing increased fares for Gulf routes. Previously priced between ₹10,000 and ₹12,000, these fares have now escalated to ₹18,070 to ₹52,370. The Dubai-Kannur route operated by Air India Express now costs ₹31,523, with fares reaching ₹52,143 immediately after the festival and ₹57,239 on Vishu. The Dubai-Nedumbassery fare has jumped from ₹25,835 to ₹38,989, peaking at ₹49,418 on March 30. Similarly, Air India Express's Dubai-Thiruvananthapuram fare is now ₹62,216 for March 29, remaining above ₹40,000 until Vishu.

Air India Express has also raised its Jeddah-Karipur, Kannur, Nedumbassery, and Thiruvananthapuram fares from ₹39,921 to ₹53,575. These prices were previously below ₹15,000.

Interestingly, there has been no reported increase in fares to other airports in India. Despite the high prices, ticket availability remains limited across most routes.