Airlines expect exodus of illegal workers

Dubai: Airlines are anticipating a surplus of summer air travellers as more than one million amnesty seekers are expected to depart from the UAE before the September 2 deadline.
An exodus of illegal workers returning home under the country's amnesty programme first began in June. It is expected to culminate in a virtual crescendo of jam-packed flights to the Indian subcontinent in the coming weeks.
The bulk of the traffic is expected to go to India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with some also bound for Indonesia and the Philippines.
Emirates, Etihad Airways, Biman Air and Air India are offering promotions to generate sales, and some are also considering adding frequencies to accommodate the rush.
Emirates said it would slash tickets by up to 55 per cent for flights to India, Pakistan and Bangladesh.
In addition, as part of its India expansion plan, Emirates has added flights to its regular schedule for Kochi and Chennai.
Etihad Airways used direct marketing to promote its discounted fares which start at Dh400, posting fliers at the embassies of seven countries on the subcontinent and East Asia.
Meanwhile, Air India is offering departing workers discounted fares to five Indian cities until September 2. Flights to Mumbai and Delhi cost Dh590 including taxes, with additional promotions for Chennai, Thiruvananthapuram and Hyderabad.
Air Arabia, however, said it already expanded it summer schedule by adding two weekly flights to Mumbai until September 15 and plans no further changes, including discounts.
05/08/07 Ivan Gale/Gulf News, United Arab Emirates

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Categories: Foreign Aug 2007