Airlines, including Air India, IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa Air, have announced full refunds and rescheduling waivers for passengers affected by flight disruptions across several Indian cities, a move that has impacted thousands of UAE-based Indian travellers.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Air India said it is experiencing high call volumes due to the disruptions but assured passengers that full refunds and a one-time waiver on rescheduling fees are available for impacted flights booked until May 10, 2025.

“For customers whose flights are impacted by the current disruptions, Air India is offering a full refund for cancellations and a one-time waiver on rescheduling fees,” said the airline, which operates daily flights between the UAE and Indian cities like Delhi, Amritsar, and Srinagar.

The airline is also offering extended flexibility for some categories of travellers, including those holding concessionary fares, allowing full refunds on cancellations and waived change fees for travel booked through May 31, with changes allowed up to June 30.

IndiGo, another major budget carrier serving UAE-India routes, confirmed disruptions to and from Srinagar, Jammu, Amritsar, Leh, Chandigarh, and Dharamsala, citing changing airspace conditions. The airline is offering a full waiver of change and cancellation fees for travel to or from Srinagar until May 22, for bookings made before April 22.

SpiceJet and Akasa Air also issued advisories, with SpiceJet suspending flights to and from key northern Indian destinations “until further notice.”

What UAE Travellers Should Do

• Check with your airline for the latest updates on cancelled or rescheduled flights.
• Passengers can claim full refunds or reschedule without penalty on eligible flights.
• Travellers are encouraged to use online refund forms or contact airline service centres, though delays are expected due to high demand.
• Residents flying to India for the summer break or upcoming school holidays should verify their itineraries if flying to affected cities.

With the UAE being home to a large Indian expat community, the airline advisories are expected to impact many family travel plans.

In a bold move to strengthen its presence in the UAE, India’s popular budget airline, IndiGo, is launching daily direct flights from Mumbai and Kannur to Fujairah, starting May 16. This marks Fujairah as IndiGo’s fifth destination in the UAE, joining the airline’s already popular routes to Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah.

Along with the new flights, IndiGo is introducing dedicated shuttle bus services to connect Fujairah with the Emirates of Dubai and Sharjah, allowing travellers to explore multiple destinations from a single entry point.

Enhanced Connectivity

This new addition brings IndiGo’s weekly flights between India and the UAE to a total of 275. The airline will operate:

• 14 weekly flights to Fujairah
• 21 weekly flights to Ras Al Khaimah
• 28 weekly flights to Sharjah
• 104 weekly flights to Abu Dhabi
• 108 weekly flights to Dubai

IndiGo has carefully coordinated flight schedules to align with bus transfers, ensuring smooth connections for passengers traveling across the Emirates.

Regional Expansion

The airline’s growing footprint in the UAE reflects its ambition to offer affordable travel options across the region. With more than 90 destinations within India and 132 worldwide.

A new report has revealed how opening up flights between India and the UAE could slash fares, create jobs, and unlock over $1 billion in savings, but red tape is keeping passengers grounded.

The study, ‘Combined Skies: Unlocking the Benefits of UAE-India Aviation Liberalisation for Indian Travellers’, breaks down the huge economic benefits of expanding air services. Part of a broader investigation into a possible overhaul of UAE-India flight agreements, the report examines how tourism, trade, job creation, and even regulatory hurdles could be transformed by liberalisation. But with flights already packed, will authorities act before it’s too late?

Flights At Breaking Point!

India’s aviation market is soaring, set to double by 2030. UAE-India flights carried 19 million passengers in 2023, 30% of India’s total international traffic. Yet strict government limits on air services are choking growth, keeping flights expensive and hard to book.

Big Money, Bigger Roadblocks

The UAE is India’s third-largest trading partner, with trade soaring to $84 billion last year. More flights mean faster business trips, smoother cargo movement, and stronger economic ties. But without urgent action, both nations risk losing out on billions in trade and investment.

Tourism Nightmare?

UAE travellers flock to India for medical treatments, business, and holidays, but tight flight caps make trips more expensive and less frequent. Expanding air routes could supercharge tourism and create thousands of jobs in airports, airlines, and hospitality.

Passengers Could Save Big

More flights = cheaper tickets. A modest 5% annual increase in seat capacity could save Indian travellers $152 million by 2028. But go big, double capacity over five years, and that jumps to a jaw-dropping $1.05 billion.

Who Gets Cheaper Flights?

Not all routes will see huge price drops. Delhi–Dubai and Mumbai–Dubai are maxed out—more flights won’t slash fares much. But for smaller Indian cities, adding flights could send ticket prices tumbling and unleash massive demand.

India and the UAE are sitting on an aviation jackpot, but they need to act now before the opportunity flies away.

(Source: www.orfonline.org)