Suspension of int’l flights till Dec to hit Christmas and New Year travel plans

Suspension of int’l flights till Dec to hit Christmas and New Year travel plans

TIMES NEWS NETWORK

Chennai:28.11.2020

The Centre’s decision to extend suspension of scheduled international flights to the end of December has hit international holidays during the Christmas and New Year season.

Travel and tour operators had got many inquiries and a few bookings for short holidays in December this year and January 2021. However, plans for January too are uncertain as the suspension of scheduled international flights could be extended further. Maldives and Dubai continue to be the only expensive options for Chennaiites. Those who wanted to travel abroad but can’t are now looking at premium tours to Goa, Gujarat and Rajasthan.

Sriharan Balan, of Madura Travels, said: “The government has extended suspension of scheduled international flights. Travellers will miss Australia, New Zealand, Southeast Asia this season. Maldives and Dubai are the only options that are available.”

There are no new ‘air bubble’ routes too. So, people who want to have an international holiday are left with few choices, he added. However, travel and tour operators are working to find out if UAE and Europe can be clubbed so that travellers flying from Chennai or other cities can stay for a few days in Dubai and then fly to Europe from there.

Currently, only point-to-point tickets are allowed from India on ‘air bubble’ routes. This is stopping people from exploring more foreign countries by travelling via transit hubs like Dubai. Basheer Ahmed, of Travel Agents Federation of India (TAFI), said: “At least 50% of the travel would have resumed if scheduled international flights were allowed during Christmas and New Year holidays. A lot of people are ready to fly to Malaysia and Singapore if allowed. There is interest for inbound trips too especially from southeast Asian countries.”

As Maldives and UAE are expensive destinations, only those who have high net worth are mostly travelling for leisure. “Only the rich are able to afford the trips as it costs at least Rs 1 lakh per person,” he added.

With international tours ruled out, travellers and tour operators are looking at promoting domestic destinations for Christmas and New Year holidays.

Domestic destinations like Goa draw a lot of people during the Christmas & New Year