Air Ticket Demand from West Asia to Kerala Falls Ahead of Onam

Quick Summary

• Onam, a harvest festival in Kerala, typically sees high demand for flight tickets from West Asia to Kerala as keralites working abroad return home for celebrations.
• This year, Onam falls in early September when schools reopen in West Asia, reducing the usual travel demand during the festival season.
• Airfares from Dubai to Kochi are unusually low: Budget airline tickets cost ₹10,000-₹15,000 on September 4 and drop further to ₹6,260 on Thiruvonam day. Regular flights like Etihad charge ₹38,405 on September 4.
• Return fares from Kochi to Dubai after onam are significantly higher: Budget airlines charge between ₹37,000-₹50,000; regular carriers like Emirates charge ₹60,000-₹75,000 during this period.
• K.V.Muralidharan (Kerala Association of Travel Agents president) attributes low inbound demand during Onam to a Gulf economic slowdown affecting blue-collar workers and overlap with school reopening dates.
• S. Irudaya Rajan (IIMAD chairman) observes that widespread celebration of Onam by Malayali diaspora globally reduces thier urgency to travel home as families stay connected while celebrating locally.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The reduced rush for flights highlights how global factors-such as school schedules and economic trends-can influence religious and cultural migration patterns within India’s vibrant diaspora communities. The Gulf economy’s slowdown appears notably impactful for blue-collar workers whose job prospects may dictate their ability or choice to spend time at home during festivals.Onam’s growing status as a universal celebration among Malayali expatriates signifies an important sociocultural shift born out of organized migration networks: physical presence no longer feels essential as collective identity adapts across borders. while economically advantageous airfare rates ease burdens for some travelers this year-though mostly due to lowered demand-the steep spike in post-Onam outbound ticket prices reflects consistent connectivity priorities tied closely with work obligations overseas rather than pure cultural sentiment.

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