Hike in airfare in Middle Eastern routes unjustified

Airfares for flights to different Middle Eastern countries have, we believe, unreasonably doubled since last month, according to media reports. Until November, air tickets to various countries in the Middle East cost around Tk 40,000. However, the price of air tickets has now skyrocketed from Tk 70,000 to Tk 95,000. There should be a solid rationale behind any hike in airfares.

Unfortunately, according to pertinent observers, the recent hike in airfares to the Middle Easters countries defies logic and rationale. There are allegations that an unholy syndicate is responsible for this unwelcome phenomenon, and little is being done to curb their unscrupulous activities. The recent days have seen an increasing number of people travelling to the Middle East as countries like Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman have been issuing significantly more visas. There are reasons to believe that the syndicate, in cahoots with influential quarters, has taken advantage of the crisis of aeroplane seats vis a vis the increasing demand. And it is the migrant workers returning to their workplaces are facing the music–and the music by any definition is not soothing to these workers, often dubbed in the media as remittance warriors.

Of course, the price of tickets can increase due to increasing demand. However, the recent spike in airfares has crossed all limits. There have been newspaper reports suggesting that some travel agencies, through their connections with different airlines, buy group tickets in an attempt to create an artificial crisis. This is tantamount to hoarding and must not be tolerated by the authorities concerned. Expressing the frustration of the recruiting agencies, Abul Bashar, a former president of Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA) stated “Airlines are imposing extra fares on expatriates at will. It does not appear that any agency is monitoring the situation.”

While Bangladesh Biman does not sell group tickets, other airlines do so. According to spokespersons of the recruiting agencies, the above mentioned syndicate is basically formed by the travel agencies and unscrupulous airlines officials. Quite interestingly, such a phenomenal hike in airfares has not been observed in Bangladesh’s neighbouring countries. Far from it. The fare for the Colombo-Riyadh route is Tk 38,000, while for the Kathmandu-Riyadh route, it is around Tk 45,000. The airfare for Mumbai-Riyadh route is around Tk 32,000. These figures speak volumes and clearly indicates that something is definitely rotten in the sector.

Already, because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Bangladeshi migrant workers in the Middle East have faced a myriad of adversities such as unemployment, short working hours, isolation, poor quality of living, and mental pressure while their dependents at home are facing financial crisis due to the limited or reduced cash flow from their working relatives. Many of them were forced to return home. And just as Middle Eastern economies are opening up again and Bangladeshi workers have begun going to their workplaces with the waning of the coronavirus, their airfare has been soared unreasonably high. Until and unless the airfares are not brought down to a reasonable level, it will be increasingly difficult for these poor people to go to their working destinations.

Unfortunately, Bangladesh Biman has also increased airfares for Middle Eastern destinations, apparently in a bid to make up for losses made round the year. When the national carrier makes any such move other airlines usually follow suit. We want Biman to become a profitable organisation but the migrant workers should not pay the price. This is simply unjust.

On international routes, airfare is determined by mileage. In no way can a ticket price jump up from Taka 45,000 to Taka 90,000 in the space of a month unless some unscrupulous activities are going on. We believe that the association of the recruiting agencies have made some very reasonable demands in this connection. We urge all the stakeholders should sit together and find a solution to the crisis. Allegations of unscrupulous practices need to be thoroughly investigated. All necessary steps should be taken to ensure that airfares come down to a reasonable level.