Demand for tickets witness rise

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 19: The Cabinet’s recent decision to resume travel for all has revived ticket reservations, which witnessed an 88 percent increase, according to an official source in the travel and tourism sector, reports Al-Qabas daily. The source described the demand for flight tickets from February 20 as “exceeding the limit”, coinciding with the national holidays that extend until March 5, which doubles the movement of passengers and commercial flights departing and arriving at Kuwait International Airport. He explained that the issuance of decisions to ease travel restrictions has led to an increase in airline reservations.

According to the statistics of the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the total number of flight tickets sold during the past days was about 222,000, which is a significant increase compared to the same period last year, amid expectations of more reservations after the pandemic wave recedes and travel restrictions are eased. The value of ticket sales during the month of January was about KD 17.5 million.

In the field, signs of recovery and a return of momentum were reflected on the airport this week. The operating authorities took the necessary preparations to facilitate the movement of incoming and outgoing flights as of Sunday, February 20, which is the date for allowing travel for all and easing restrictions, amid continuous preventive health measures.

Approvals to increase flights are expected to be completed within the coming days to keep pace with the gradual opening. The source revealed that hundreds of thousands of people will spend the national holidays abroad, which requires an increase in the number of flights, adding that the consequences of this matter will be good for the transportation market as well as passengers through lower ticket prices. He praised the decision of the Council of Ministers to allow everyone to travel, indicating that this step will contribute to revival of the travel movement and aviation sectors, which witnessed heavy losses during the past two years as a result of closures in some Gulf, Arab and European countries.