The number of aircraft operating globally has entered a phase of unprecedented growth with the world's aircraft fleet set to double from 20,000 to more than 40,000 by 2032, according to global aircraft manufacturer Boeing.
More planes mean more passengers and the UAE is set to continue prospering as a vital aviation hub. Dubai International Airport ranks as the second busiest airport in the world in terms of international passengers, according to the Airports Council International (ACI). Abu Dhabi, also a major hub, was this month recognised as the "Best Airport for the Middle East Region" by the ACI.
Yet this prowess does not necessarily translate into cheaper ticket prices for UAE residents. Instead, the population actually pays premium rates for some flight routes. For someone living in Dubai, for example, it will cost significantly more to buy return tickets to London than the other way round, from London to Dubai. This has led many customers, particularly expatriates who regularly fly home, to carefully manage how they fly.
Briton Anne-Marie Rowlands, 34, a picture researcher who has lived in Dubai for four years, ensures her annual return home originates in the United Kingdom. "I book the UK to Dubai return but I have to plan in advance. It started after I missed my return leg to Dubai once, as I was ill and unable to fly. I then realised it was a lot cheaper flying the UK return rather than the Dubai return," she says.
The reason for the UAE's inflated prices rests upon the well-documented travel habits of its residents. The airlines know when an exodus of expatriates is going to occur and can exploit this with higher prices.
"There is an unapologetic posture that airlines maintain with seasonal price variances and summer price hikes are the bane of expats living in this region," says Guarav Sinha, the managing director of travel-focused creative agency Insignia.
"Traditionally, expats take their summer breaks to head home during school vacations and both short- and long-haul fares jump up to double or more as compared to other lean periods. Revenue managers have harnessed this demand hike to their advantage, and even if you try buying your tickets months ahead the rates still remain high, no early booking incentives are tabled. Even budget airlines seem to be on the same bandwagon. When flagship airlines use the demand hikes to their advantage then it also opens the door for other international airlines to do exactly the same, offering little or no respite for residents."
Extenuating factors such as fuel prices and government taxes often form part of the justification of such prices, but for the airlines it's a logical means for increasing revenues.
According to an Emirates spokesman: "Each market will have different demand periods or seasons, which will be reflected within the price of a flight ticket. This may lead to different pricing on the same route, depending where the journey starts. Other factors that influence pricing include competition, currencies, flight frequencies and connectivity."
But as Mr Sinha points out, UAE airlines have the added bonus of customers' loyalty, with many residents continuing to fly with them despite dramatic price fluctuations.
"Flagship airlines have cleverly entrenched their loyalty programmes into expat living, with co-branded credit cards that earn miles on shopping, compelling people to stick to their preferred airline brand," he says. "Ironically, few realise that you cannot really 'burn' those miles during the summer period as yield managers limit the inventory made available to the market during peak seasons or sectors."
The difficulties in securing more consistent pricing has led to a trend among savvy travellers to combine holidays with visits home to make savings.
Sarah Burnell, 35, a British freelance writer who has been based in Dubai for 10 years, consistently books her flights from the UK. "In January, I travelled from Birmingham to Dubai and I'll travel back with the return ticket in summer, so Dubai to Birmingham eight months later. That trip costs about Dh2,500. If I did it from Dubai, I'm looking at Dh4,500," she says.
"The best example of cost savings was when I got married," Mrs Burnell adds. "To fly Dubai-Manchester-Dubai was Dh4,000. But to fly Manchester-Dubai-Mauritius-Dubai-Manchester, spread over nine months, was Dh2,307. The honeymoon flight was free."
By purchasing return flights that go via Dubai, travellers can take advantage of the UAE's status as a global stopover hub. Mrs Burnell simply extended her Dubai stopover en route to Mauritius, to a much longer period than the usual long-haul holidaymaker, who only stays in the UAE for a few days.
These tariff quirks can be quite common and it can pay to look into "beyond destination" flights, says Alex McWhirter, a travel expert at Business Traveller magazine.
"Around two-thirds of passengers using Abu Dhabi and Dubai are travelling through, rather than to, these airports," he explains, "meaning that at certain times of the year it is cheaper to fly from London to India [via Dubai] than it is to fly simply from London to Dubai. Why? Because if Emirates, for example, as an indirect airline, wishes to participate in the UK-India market it must sell below the direct flight price, as few people wish to spend longer on a plane or at an airport then they have to."
Mr McWhirter adds that there are also examples where UAE residents can benefit from this competitive price manoeuvring between airlines.
"UAE residents booking business class US flights make big savings compared with their UK counterparts," he explains.
"For a working week trip departing in late June, British Airways will charge Londoners Dh26,082 for a return to New York. The same BA ticket bought in Dubai for flights to New York via London would cost Dh17,785. It's because Emirates flies Dubai-New York non-stop with a spacious A380, whereas BA does not only fly indirectly, it also operates B747s and B777s, which are less attractive for demanding business travellers. So BA must undercut Emirates' fare of Dh25,405 if it is to attract customers."
Historically, the International Air Transport Association controlled ticket prices worldwide and fares were adjusted in line with currency fluctuations. This was to ensure that no airline or country would have an advantage over another. In today's liberalised marketplace, airlines are free to set whatever price they choose. As such, it is simply supply and demand that dictates airline ticket pricing.
Joanne Foster, a public-relations director at Virgin Airlines, says: "Our pricing is consistent with other carriers but yes, often there are regional variations in flight costs. The reason for this is prices can differ between countries at different ends of a route because market conditions vary and because of changes in currency values over time."
business@thenational.ae
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How green is the expo nursery?
Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery
An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo
Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery
Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape
The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides
All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality
Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country
Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow
Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site
Green waste is recycled as compost
Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs
Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers
About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer
Main themes of expo is ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.
Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months
What is dialysis?
Dialysis is a way of cleaning your blood when your kidneys fail and can no longer do the job.
It gets rid of your body's wastes, extra salt and water, and helps to control your blood pressure. The main cause of kidney failure is diabetes and hypertension.
There are two kinds of dialysis — haemodialysis and peritoneal.
In haemodialysis, blood is pumped out of your body to an artificial kidney machine that filter your blood and returns it to your body by tubes.
In peritoneal dialysis, the inside lining of your own belly acts as a natural filter. Wastes are taken out by means of a cleansing fluid which is washed in and out of your belly in cycles.
It isn’t an option for everyone but if eligible, can be done at home by the patient or caregiver. This, as opposed to home haemodialysis, is covered by insurance in the UAE.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Results
Male 51kg Round 1
Dias Karmanov (KAZ) beat Mabrook Rasea (YEM) by points 2-1.
Male 54kg Round 1
Yelaman Sayassatov (KAZ) beat Chen Huang (TPE) TKO Round 1; Huynh Hoang Phi (VIE) beat Fahad Anakkayi (IND) RSC Round 2; Qais Al Jamal (JOR) beat Man Long Ng (MAC) by points 3-0; Ayad Albadr (IRQ) beat Yashar Yazdani (IRI) by points 2-1.
Male 57kg Round 1
Natthawat Suzikong (THA) beat Abdallah Ondash (LBN) by points 3-0; Almaz Sarsembekov (KAZ) beat Ahmed Al Jubainawi (IRQ) by points 2-1; Hamed Almatari (YEM) beat Nasser Al Rugheeb (KUW) by points 3-0; Zakaria El Jamari (UAE) beat Yu Xi Chen (TPE) by points 3-0.
Men 86kg Round 1
Ahmad Bahman (UAE) beat Mohammad Al Khatib (PAL) by points 2-1
Men 63.5kg Round 1
Noureddin Samir (UAE) beat Polash Chakma (BAN) RSC Round 1.
Female 45kg quarter finals
Narges Mohammadpour (IRI) beat Yuen Wai Chan (HKG) by points.
Female 48kg quarter finals
Szi Ki Wong (HKG) beat Dimple Vaishnav (IND) RSC round 2; Thanawan Thongduang (THA) beat Nastaran Soori (IRI) by points; Shabnam Hussain Zada (AFG) beat Tzu Ching Lin (TPE) by points.
Female 57kg quarter finals
Nguyen Thi Nguyet (VIE) beat Anisha Shetty (IND) by points 2-1; Areeya Sahot (THA) beat Dana Al Mayyal (KUW) RSC Round 1; Sara Idriss (LBN) beat Ching Yee Tsang (HKG) by points 3-0.
The biog
Name: Capt Shadia Khasif
Position: Head of the Criminal Registration Department at Hatta police
Family: Five sons and three daughters
The first female investigator in Hatta.
Role Model: Father
She believes that there is a solution to every problem
HAJJAN
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Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Brief scoreline:
Burnley 3
Barnes 63', 70', Berg Gudmundsson 75'
Southampton 3
Man of the match
Ashley Barnes (Burnley)
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
UAE central contracts
Full time contracts
Rohan Mustafa, Ahmed Raza, Mohammed Usman, Chirag Suri, Mohammed Boota, Sultan Ahmed, Zahoor Khan, Junaid Siddique, Waheed Ahmed, Zawar Farid
Part time contracts
Aryan Lakra, Ansh Tandon, Karthik Meiyappan, Rahul Bhatia, Alishan Sharafu, CP Rizwaan, Basil Hameed, Matiullah, Fahad Nawaz, Sanchit Sharma
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Yemen's Bahais and the charges they often face
The Baha'i faith was made known in Yemen in the 19th century, first introduced by an Iranian man named Ali Muhammad Al Shirazi, considered the Herald of the Baha'i faith in 1844.
The Baha'i faith has had a growing number of followers in recent years despite persecution in Yemen and Iran.
Today, some 2,000 Baha'is reside in Yemen, according to Insaf.
"The 24 defendants represented by the House of Justice, which has intelligence outfits from the uS and the UK working to carry out an espionage scheme in Yemen under the guise of religion.. aimed to impant and found the Bahai sect on Yemeni soil by bringing foreign Bahais from abroad and homing them in Yemen," the charge sheet said.
Baha'Ullah, the founder of the Bahai faith, was exiled by the Ottoman Empire in 1868 from Iran to what is now Israel. Now, the Bahai faith's highest governing body, known as the Universal House of Justice, is based in the Israeli city of Haifa, which the Bahais turn towards during prayer.
The Houthis cite this as collective "evidence" of Bahai "links" to Israel - which the Houthis consider their enemy.
Tax authority targets shisha levy evasion
The Federal Tax Authority will track shisha imports with electronic markers to protect customers and ensure levies have been paid.
Khalid Ali Al Bustani, director of the tax authority, on Sunday said the move is to "prevent tax evasion and support the authority’s tax collection efforts".
The scheme’s first phase, which came into effect on 1st January, 2019, covers all types of imported and domestically produced and distributed cigarettes. As of May 1, importing any type of cigarettes without the digital marks will be prohibited.
He said the latest phase will see imported and locally produced shisha tobacco tracked by the final quarter of this year.
"The FTA also maintains ongoing communication with concerned companies, to help them adapt their systems to meet our requirements and coordinate between all parties involved," he said.
As with cigarettes, shisha was hit with a 100 per cent tax in October 2017, though manufacturers and cafes absorbed some of the costs to prevent prices doubling.
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
Poacher
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Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
