Dubai: An Indian businessman has spent around $55,000 (Dh202,290) to fly with his family, including his newly married daughter and her husband, from India to the UAE on a private jet due to the suspension of commercial passenger flights from India.
The 13 passengers, including four employees of P.D. Syamalan, managing director of Sharjah-headquartered Al Ras Group, flew in from Cochin International Airport in Kochi, Kerala, to Al Maktoum International Airport in Dubai on Friday.
A UAE resident for more than four decades, Syamalan had flown down to his hometown for the marriage of his daughter, Anju Syam, along with his family members and some employees, on March 15. Anju’s wedding with Siva Prasad, a Keralite residing in France, took place on April 25, just hours after the suspension of travel came into effect for passengers from India to the UAE.
India-UAE flight suspension: Stranded expats ready to pay Dh16,000 for private jet ticket dhanusha@khaleejtimes.com Filed on May 5, 2021 | Last updated on May 5, 2021 at 11.45 pm PTI file
Private jet flights are subject to approvals and several requests have already been declined.
A day after the UAE government announced an indefinite extension of the suspension of flights from India, the demand for private jet bookings soared, according to agents and operators. Stranded passengers are willing to cough up anything between Dh13,000 and Dh16,000 per ticket just to get back to the UAE.
Since the suspension, several private jets carrying high-net-worth individuals, business professionals, golden visa holders and families have already flown into the country, business jet operators told Khaleej Times. However, these incoming passengers are subject to strict approvals from the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA). They have not been easy to procure, according to to