Boarding that planes is set to get more expensive this summer, can you beat the traditional price hike?
Boarding that planes is set to get more expensive this summer, can you beat the traditional price hike?

Beat the summer airfare price hike



ABU DHABI // Amber Dale never plans her journeys home during the summer because of the skyrocketing airfare prices.

The business owner's flight to Mumbai usually costs between Dh1,100 and Dh1,400 - but it can jump to Dh3,500 in the summer.

"Airlines simply cash in on the holiday season, whether it's summer, Christmas or Eid," she said. "Ticket prices are so unreasonably hiked, and flights are always jam-packed. The journey is never pleasant."

With ticket costs that almost triple for some carriers between June and August, Ms Dale is not the only traveller outraged by exorbitant prices for flights during the summer.

But the hike in prices is considered "normal" by industry insiders.

The price fluctuations boil down to the economic principle of supply and demand - a principle first observed by Muslim scholars, says economist Hamid S. Hosseini.

In his book Contributions of Medieval Muslim Scholars to the History of Economics and their Impact, he quotes 14th century scholar Ibn Taymiyyah who explained: "If desire for goods increases while its availability decreases, its price rises. On the other hand, if availability of the good increases and the desire for it decreases, the price comes down."

"Fluctuation is normal," agrees Hubert Dhanpal, the UAE sales manager for travel management company ITL World.

He said the only way to avoid high prices is to take advantage of offers through travel agents

"I'd recommend relying on advanced purchases, in March or April, because in June or July, flying to some parts of the UK and the US can cost up to Dh10,000, if not more," he added.

Abu Dhabi's Al Badie Travel Agency has deals with Etihad, Qatar Airways and Gulf Air. "We have deals that are up to 15 per cent cheaper," said Nimi K, an agent at the company. "But you need to book early, at least 20 days before departure."

Sana Pervez, a Pakistani who lives in Dubai, flies home about three times a year.

Last year, she and her husband switched to no-frills airline FlyDubai, and felt much happier with a price tag of Dh1,800 for two over Eid. "We took Emirates twice and FlyDubai once last year," said Ms Pervez, who has lived in the UAE for a year and a half.

Planning in advance is key, she said. She tries to buy her tickets at least four months before departure. But it is not always an easy feat. "For me, it's not a problem but for my husband, [work] is not organised and they can be very difficult at times," said Ms Pervez.

Basil Kaedbey, from Lebanon, says the situation is worse in Abu Dhabi because there is no budget airline option. "I'm going to Beirut on July 1. I usually pay Dh1,400 to Dh1,600 with Middle East Airlines if I book six months in advance," he said. "But if I don't, I pay Dh3,000.

"It's a hassle because I'm not always sure about my dates because of work."

But even for people like Mr Kaedbey, there are ways to get around seasonal prices. If your dates are flexible, try booking late: airlines such as Etihad offer weekend getaways specials if you are willing to book within days of departure.

Use websites such as Kayak, Momondo and Skyscanner to compare prices across airlines, or bid for tickets on auction sites such as Skyauction.com and Priceline.com.

Above all else, make us of frequent flyer programmes such as Etihad Guest and Emirate's Skywards. The programmes are free and air miles do add up to create real savings.

* With additional reporting by The National staff

To register a complaint about an airline, call the consumer protection department at the Ministry of Economy on 02 613 1111.???

PAKISTAN SQUAD

Abid Ali, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Shan Masood, Azhar Ali (test captain), Babar Azam (T20 captain), Asad Shafiq, Fawad Alam, Haider Ali, Iftikhar Ahmad, Khushdil Shah, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Rizwan (wicketkeeper), Sarfaraz Ahmed (wicketkeeper), Faheem Ashraf, Haris Rauf, Imran Khan, Mohammad Abbas, Mohammad Hasnain, Naseem Shah, Shaheen Afridi, Sohail Khan, Usman Shinwari, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Kashif Bhatti, Shadab Khan and Yasir Shah. 

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Match info

Newcastle United 1
Joselu (11')

Tottenham Hotspur 2
Vertonghen (8'), Alli (18')

The specs

Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors

Power: 480kW

Torque: 850Nm

Transmission: Single-speed automatic

Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)

On sale: Now

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COMPANY PROFILE
Name: HyperSpace
 
Started: 2020
 
Founders: Alexander Heller, Rama Allen and Desi Gonzalez
 
Based: Dubai, UAE
 
Sector: Entertainment 
 
Number of staff: 210 
 
Investment raised: $75 million from investors including Galaxy Interactive, Riyadh Season, Sega Ventures and Apis Venture Partners
The%20specs
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.0-litre%20turbocharged%204-cyl%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E8-speed%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E300bhp%20(GT)%20330bhp%20(Modena)%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E450Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDh299%2C000%20(GT)%2C%20Dh369%2C000%20(Modena)%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Enow%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moon Music

Artist: Coldplay

Label: Parlophone/Atlantic

Number of tracks: 10

Rating: 3/5

ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures

October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA

Tree of Hell

Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla

Director: Raed Zeno

Rating: 4/5

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Is it worth it? We put cheesecake frap to the test.

The verdict from the nutritionists is damning. But does a cheesecake frappuccino taste good enough to merit the indulgence?

My advice is to only go there if you have unusually sweet tooth. I like my puddings, but this was a bit much even for me. The first hit is a winner, but it's downhill, slowly, from there. Each sip is a little less satisfying than the last, and maybe it was just all that sugar, but it isn't long before the rush is replaced by a creeping remorse. And half of the thing is still left.

The caramel version is far superior to the blueberry, too. If someone put a full caramel cheesecake through a liquidiser and scooped out the contents, it would probably taste something like this. Blueberry, on the other hand, has more of an artificial taste. It's like someone has tried to invent this drink in a lab, and while early results were promising, they're still in the testing phase. It isn't terrible, but something isn't quite right either.

So if you want an experience, go for a small, and opt for the caramel. But if you want a cheesecake, it's probably more satisfying, and not quite as unhealthy, to just order the real thing.

 

 

JERSEY INFO

Red Jersey
General Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the leader of the General Classification by time.
Green Jersey
Points Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the fastest sprinter, who has obtained the best positions in each stage and intermediate sprints.
White Jersey
Young Rider Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the best young rider born after January 1, 1995 in the overall classification by time (U25).
Black Jersey
Intermediate Sprint Classification: worn daily, starting from Stage 2, by the rider who has gained the most Intermediate Sprint Points.

EA Sports FC 25
WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?

1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull

2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight

3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge

4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own

5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed

THE BIO

Favourite car: Koenigsegg Agera RS or Renault Trezor concept car.

Favourite book: I Am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes or Red Notice by Bill Browder.

Biggest inspiration: My husband Nik. He really got me through a lot with his positivity.

Favourite holiday destination: Being at home in Australia, as I travel all over the world for work. It’s great to just hang out with my husband and family.

 

 

How to protect yourself when air quality drops

Install an air filter in your home.

Close your windows and turn on the AC.

Shower or bath after being outside.

Wear a face mask.

Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.

If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.

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The specs

Engine: Direct injection 4-cylinder 1.4-litre
Power: 150hp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: From Dh139,000
On sale: Now

The specs
Engine: 77.4kW all-wheel-drive dual motor
Power: 320bhp
Torque: 605Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh219,000
On sale: Now

Seemar’s top six for the Dubai World Cup Carnival:

1. Reynaldothewizard
2. North America
3. Raven’s Corner
4. Hawkesbury
5. New Maharajah
6. Secret Ambition

Company%20Profile
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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