‘No clear mechanism for airlines over institutional quarantine’

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Air ticket prices to be remarkably high in view of the PCR test costs

KUWAIT CITY, Feb 17: While airline companies are preparing for the implementation of the Cabinet’s decision to conduct PCR test for all arriving passengers; a reliable source from the aviation sector revealed that air ticket prices will increase remarkably since these companies will bear the cost for PCR test, prompting some of them to offer a comprehensive travel package as per the supply and demand in the air transport market, reports Al-Qabas daily.

The source pointed out there is no clear mechanism for the airlines to ensure that the arriving passengers booked in the hotels allotted for institutional quarantine upon arrival in the country. The source wondered how can the airlines ensure that the arriving passengers have bookings for institutional quarantine if there is no automated link between the concerned authorities.

The source said the airlines have yet to receive updates from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding the rule on limiting the number of arriving passengers – whether to retain the current number or increase it.

On the other hand, member of Kuwait Travel & Tourism Agencies Association Abdul Rahman Al-Kharafi told the daily that “we do not want any subsidies, loans or grants from the government. All we want is to work.” He added the sector has been incurring losses due to governmental decisions, which are introduced everyday without taking into account the economic and social conditions of employers who are constantly threatened by sudden changes in the sector.

“The absence of travel agencies in the management of institutional quarantine hotel reservations will lead to the collapse of dozens of offices in the sector and bigger losses,” he warned. He disclosed the hotel reservation system for the institutional quarantine, which will commence on Feb 21, has not been launched till date so the arriving passengers on that day and the coming days cannot book hotels for their quarantine upon arrival in Kuwait.

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