Indian travellers are being brought back down to earth as rising flight costs from the UAE to their homeland threaten to halt holiday plans.
Some expatriate families said they faced paying up to three times the typical airfare to jet back to India this summer, with the inflated costs forcing many to shelve their trips altogether.
Travel agents in the Emirates said the demise of crisis-hit Jet Airways - which was forced to ground its operations due to a multi-billion dirham funding shortfall in April - has contributed to rocketing fees.
The traditional high demand during the summer months, fuelled by the end of the school year, is also piling on the misery for many having to dig extra deep to pay for travel.
Some Indians told The National they had little choice but to pay the prohibitive fees, otherwise they would miss out on the chance to see loved ones who still live in the country.
One travel agent admitted that fares that would usually be between Dh1,200 and Dh1,500 are now setting people back up to Dh3,200.
A family-of-four flying to Kerala could now expect their travel costs to be almost trebled as a shortage of seats couple with high demand sends air-fares soaring.
