For Third Time In A Month, Flight To Dubai Carries Just One Passenger From India

NEW DELHI: An Air India flight from Amritsar to Dubai carried only one passenger on Wednesday. As per reports, the lone passenger was a UAE-based Indian businessman S P Singh Oberoi who travelled in the plane on an economy-class ticket. This was the third time in the last month that a flight to  Dubai carried just one passenger.

The passenger had taken pictures of himself with the crew members and went up and down the aircraft multiple times in the three hoursjourney. The passenger who holds a golden visa that allows 10-year long residency in the UAE,  had a gala time on the flight, as he paid only Dh740 and which he called was a lifetime experience that would be cherished forever. “I was measuring the length of the plane by my steps,” Singh told Khaleej Times. He said that that the pilot greeted him and gave him royal treatment.

On May 19, another passenger named  Bhavesh Javeri was the lone passenger on Emirates' Mumbai-Dubai flight. Three days later, another man named Oswald Rodrigues was the lone passenger on Air India's Mumbai-Dubai flight.

It is known that India-Dubai routes are one of the busiest and lucrative ones for aircraft carriers But this has taken a beating after the pandemic set in last year. This apart, the second wave also took a toll on the passenger traffic on these India-Dubai routes

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) last month had extended the suspension of inbound passenger flights from India till 6th July 2021. Air India Express had tweeted this message about the Civil Aviation Authorities, UAE to further suspend the passenger movement from India to UAE. However, this was later rescinded and flights were resumed from June 24^th.  

India's national carrier Air India started its flight operations from UAE Thursday onwards. "Effective June 24, 2021 (10 am), all Air India flights will arrive and depart from Terminal 1 of Dubai International Airport. All passengers booked to travel on or after June 24 are requested to report at Dubai Terminal-1," the airline said on its website.

Also Read: UAE Extends Ban on Flights from India For Another Month, Check Details