Friday airfare from Dubai to Kolkata soars to Rs 1.4L, coming via Delhi may be cheaper

KOLKATA: Airfares from Dubai to Kolkata shot up by six-seven times, leaving passengers scrambling to return home with holes in their pockets. Limited flight availability in the war zone has pushed ticket prices to unprecedented levels. What used to be a modest fare of around Rs 25,000 to Rs 30,000 for the Dubai-Kolkata sector is now costing Rs 1.2-1.4 lakh for tickets on March 6.

Travel industry representatives said the spike was triggered by the ongoing regional conflict, airspace restrictions, and large-scale flight cancellations across the Gulf, which severely reduced seat availability on several international routes.


The situation was particularly difficult for passengers headed to Kolkata. While major Indian metros such as Chennai, Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru still received multiple daily flights from Dubai, Kolkata currently had only one direct service, further straining availability.

Ticket prices to other Indian cities, though elevated, remained significantly lower compared to Kolkata. On March 6, fares from Dubai to Chennai ranged between Rs 47,000 and Rs 85,000, while tickets to Mumbai were priced between Rs 56,000 and Rs 98,000. Flights to Delhi sold between Rs 62,000 and Rs 87,000, Hyderabad between Rs 52,000 and Rs 56,000, and Kochi between Rs 36,000 and Rs 90,000.

Anil Punjabi, chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Federation of India, said, "With only one flight between Dubai and Kolkata so far, demand far exceeded supply. If airlines allow additional flights on this sector, fares will automatically come down and passengers will get much-needed relief."

Anjani Dhanuka, chairman (east) of the Travel Agents Association of India, said sudden disruptions often left travellers stranded and financially strained.

"The govt should take appropriate steps to bring citizens back to the country on priority whenever such situations occur. Alternative routes should be arranged for flights to operate safely instead of simply cancelling services and remaining silent," he said.

Travel agents said unless additional flights were introduced soon, fares on the Dubai–Kolkata sector were likely to remain steep as stranded passengers continued to compete for the limited seats available.