Thursday, May 23, 2024 Airfares in the UAE are anticipated to increase significantly this summer, impacting travel and tourism. Travel agents have reported a surge in bookings for popular destinations like the Maldives, which have increased by more than 10%. The rise in airfares is primarily due to a shortage of available seats.
Several airlines, both local and global, are experiencing delays in the delivery of new aircraft from the US manufacturer Boeing. This delay is constraining the airlines’ capacity to increase the number of available seats during the summer, a peak travel season. The summer season sees a substantial rise in travel demand as expatriate residents in the UAE often fly back to their home countries or travel to cooler destinations in Europe.
This seasonal surge results in increased airfares to specific destinations. Ross Veitch, CEO and co-founder of Wego, a flight booking app, noted that summer is the peak period as people seek to escape the heat. Although there is some inbound travel for Dubai’s summer events and festivals, the primary travel direction is outbound.
Veitch advised early booking due to supply constraints caused by delayed aircraft deliveries. Both European manufacturer Airbus and US manufacturer Boeing have been experiencing delays in aircraft deliveries. Airbus has reportedly pushed back some deliveries scheduled for late 2024 and 2025 by several months.
These delays affect airlines’ ability to expand routes and refurbish existing fl.
