Vivek Tankha raises soaring Gulf air fares issue, seeks Centre's intervention
Bhopal, May 23
Raising concern over soaring airfares between India and Gulf countries, Rajya Sabha Congress MP Vivek Tankha has appealed to the Centre to step in with immediate corrective measures, saying the sharp increase in air ticket prices was severely affecting lakhs of Indian families dependent on annual travel to their hometowns.
In a letter addressed to the Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar and Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu on Friday, Tankha sought government intervention to regulate fares on India-UAE and other Gulf routes during the peak summer travel season.
The senior Congress leader said that Indian expatriates working in Gulf countries, most of whom belong to middle and lower-middle income groups, were struggling to afford travel despite receiving annual travel allowances from employers.
"Over one crore Indians live and work across the Gulf region. The vast majority of them are middle-class workers whose livelihoods sustain millions of families back home in India," Tankha said, underlining the economic contribution of the Indian diaspora in Gulf nations.
He added that the annual summer visit to India was often the only opportunity for migrant workers to reunite with their families.
"For most of them, the annual summer visit is the one window in the year to join their families. It is not a luxury but a necessity," he said.
According to Tankha, airfare prices on India-Gulf sectors have risen to such an extent that employer-provided Fixed Travel Allowances (FTA), usually around AED 1,000, no longer cover even half the ticket cost.
He warned that the situation was forcing many families to postpone or cancel travel plans altogether.
Calling the issue a matter of public interest, Tankha urged the Civil Aviation Ministry to review airfare structures and explore temporary subsidisation between June and August.
He also suggested increasing the frequency of budget airline services on Gulf routes to provide immediate relief to passengers.
"The human cost of prolonged separation, of children growing up without a parent present and the quiet toll it takes, is equally significant," he added.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Having lived in the Gulf myself, I can confirm this is a serious issue. The fixed travel allowance hasn't changed in years but fares have tripled. Tankha is right - this isn't just about money, it's about families being torn apart because they can't afford the visit. The government must act now.
But why should government subsidise airfares? Let market forces decide. If demand is high, prices will be high. Simple economics. Also, there are always budget carriers like IndiGo and SpiceJet. Stop complaining and plan ahead. We can't keep asking for government handouts for everything.
Priya, with respect, you clearly don't understand the situation. These are not tourists - these are daily wage workers and small contractors who save every penny. Budget airlines also charge ₹30,000+ during summer. My uncle has been working in Abu Dhabi for 20 years and this year he couldn't come home for his daughter's wedding because tickets cost ₹50,000 for a family of four.
Valid concern but why does every problem need government intervention? Why not ask employers to increase travel allowance? Or people can travel during off-season? Just a thought. But yes, airlines are definitely taking advantage. ₹40,000 for Mumbai-Dubai is insane! 😤
As someone whose father worked in Saudi for 15 years, I know this pain. We used to save for months just for one visit. The human cost he mentioned is real - I literally grew up without my dad for 11 months every year. Government should at
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