Airlines are said to be outdoing one another in a bid to fleece passengers from the six countries that were recently permitted to operate direct flights to Kuwait.
Earlier it was reported that Kuwait carriers were charging passengers more than 10 times the normal fares, with ticket fares ranging from KD500 all the way up to KD1,000 for a one-way ticket to Kuwait, based on the embarking airport in India, and the urgency of the passenger to travel immediately.
Now, travel and tourism agencies say that some Egyptian airlines are also charging upward of KD500 for a direct one-way Cairo-Kuwait flight. It is worth noting that a one-way ticket from Kuwait to Cairo is around KD112. Travel agencies add that it would be cheaper for returning Egyptians to take ‘transit’ flights through a third country. They also note that ticket fares from Egypt are likely to be higher this month and early next month because the schools are set to reopen.
On Saturday, the DGCA announced that direct flights between Egypt and Kuwait would resume from Sunday, 5 September. Director of the Air Transport Department at (Civil Aviation) Abdullah Al-Rajhi added that nine Kuwaiti and Egyptian air carriers will operate between the two brotherly countries according to the number of seats that have been determined between them, in line with the cabinet’s recent decision to increase the capacity at Kuwait Airport. International.
Al-Rajhi also stated, in a parallel context, that the administration is still awaiting the approval of the competent Indian authorities to start flights from India to Kuwait International Airport, which is expected to be within the next week as well.
Meanwhile, Indian national carrier Air India has issued a sales update warning travel agents and passengers not to fall for fake advertisements or announcements concerning flight schedules.
The airline noted that Indian carriers are still awaiting permission to carry passengers from India to Kuwait from the Indian civil aviation ministry, and that as soon as permission is obtained from the Indian Civil Aviation the schedule would be released.