Holidaymakers who waited till the last minute to book flights are now regretting their decision as airfares have risen sharply to cope with soaring demand for tickets ahead of the five-day Eid-ul-Fitr vacation.
According to airline sources and travel agencies, almost 100% of the tickets on routes from Dhaka to various destinations are already sold out. Return tickets, for flights after April 23, are being sold at high prices.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines and local airlines US Bangla, AirAstra, and NovoAir are struggling to arrange enough flights to meet demand. They said many people are booking tickets in advance for April 20-21, as Eid-ul-Fitr is likely to be observed on April 23.
Tickets to Cox's Bazar, one of the most popular tourist spots of the county, are being sold at steep prices, a passenger complained.
Murshed Hasan, who likes to spend his Eid holidays with the family, believes that airlines are taking advantage of the high demand to raise prices. Aviation and travel experts said high fuel costs and the dollar crisis have also contributed to the rise in airfares.
Local airlines have already sought permission from the authorities to increase the number of flights out of Dhaka.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines is offering round-trip tickets for Dhaka- Chittagong -Dhaka and Dhaka-Sylhet-Dhaka flights at Tk3,000 only. The offer will be available till April 30 to celebrate Eid ul-Fitr.
Apart from domestic routes, demand for tickets to India, the Maldives, Dubai, Singapore, and Thailand have also increased.
Tourism booms
Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the major religious festivals for Muslims, and Bangladesh sees a massive rush of holidaymakers during the Eid vacation.
The country's tourism sector is expected to see a major shift in the Eid holidays this year, as it continues its recovery from the losses of the last two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Over 100,000 tourists are expected to visit Cox's Bazar for the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation, according to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation (BPC) and Hotel-Motel associations.
According to them, 80% of rooms have already been booked ahead of the Eid holidays.
Another 12,00,000 tourists are expected to travel to other popular destinations of the country, according to the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB).
Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate two flights on April 18 and 29, three flights on April 25 and five flights on April 19, 20, 21 and 24.
On April 22, Biman will only run one flight.
