<p> Airfares soared and demand for private jets boomed Friday as Indians who could afford it scrambled to escape a Covid surge before flights to the United Arab Emirates shut down.</p>.<p>All flights from the UAE to India -- one of the world's busiest air corridors -- will be suspended from Sunday as coronavirus cases in the South Asian nation reach record levels and overwhelm hospitals.</p>.<p>Price comparison websites showed one-way commercial flights from Mumbai to Dubai on Friday and Saturday costing as much as 80,000 rupees ($1,000), around 10 times the usual rate.</p>.<p>Tickets for the New Delhi to Dubai route were going for more than 50,000 rupees, five times the normal level.</p>.<p>No tickets were on offer from Sunday when the 10-day flight suspension comes into force.</p>.<p>For private jets, the amount of interest was "absolutely crazy", a spokesman for charter company Air Charter Service India told AFP.</p>.<p>"We have 12 flights going to Dubai tomorrow and each flight is completely full," the spokesman said.</p>.<p>"I've fielded almost 80 enquiries for flying to Dubai today alone," said a spokesman for Enthral Aviation, another provider.</p>.<p>"We have requested more aircraft from abroad to meet the demand... It costs $38,000 to hire a 13-seater jet from Mumbai to Dubai, and $31,000 to hire a six-seater aircraft," he told AFP.</p>.<p>"People are making groups and arranging to share our jets just to get a seat... We've had some queries for Thailand but mostly the demand is for Dubai."</p>.<p>About 300 commercial flights a week usually operate between the UAE and India, according to local media.</p>.<p>The UAE is home to roughly 3.3 million Indians who make up a third of the population -- most of them in Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the federation.</p>.<p>The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority said those coming from India through other countries must stay in that third destination for at least 14 days.</p>.<p>UAE nationals and passengers in private jets are exempt from that requirement. Cargo flights are not affected.</p>.<p>On Friday a ban on arrivals to Britain from India also came into force, except for British and Irish citizens or third-country nationals with residency rights.</p>.<p>One-way flights from Mumbai or Delhi to London on Friday were priced at between 100,000 and 150,000 rupees, at least double the usual rate when booking at short notice.</p>.<p>Seats on routes to the United States were still available but with prices substantially higher, in some cases almost double the normal fare.</p>
<p> Airfares soared and demand for private jets boomed Friday as Indians who could afford it scrambled to escape a Covid surge before flights to the United Arab Emirates shut down.</p>.<p>All flights from the UAE to India -- one of the world's busiest air corridors -- will be suspended from Sunday as coronavirus cases in the South Asian nation reach record levels and overwhelm hospitals.</p>.<p>Price comparison websites showed one-way commercial flights from Mumbai to Dubai on Friday and Saturday costing as much as 80,000 rupees ($1,000), around 10 times the usual rate.</p>.<p>Tickets for the New Delhi to Dubai route were going for more than 50,000 rupees, five times the normal level.</p>.<p>No tickets were on offer from Sunday when the 10-day flight suspension comes into force.</p>.<p>For private jets, the amount of interest was "absolutely crazy", a spokesman for charter company Air Charter Service India told AFP.</p>.<p>"We have 12 flights going to Dubai tomorrow and each flight is completely full," the spokesman said.</p>.<p>"I've fielded almost 80 enquiries for flying to Dubai today alone," said a spokesman for Enthral Aviation, another provider.</p>.<p>"We have requested more aircraft from abroad to meet the demand... It costs $38,000 to hire a 13-seater jet from Mumbai to Dubai, and $31,000 to hire a six-seater aircraft," he told AFP.</p>.<p>"People are making groups and arranging to share our jets just to get a seat... We've had some queries for Thailand but mostly the demand is for Dubai."</p>.<p>About 300 commercial flights a week usually operate between the UAE and India, according to local media.</p>.<p>The UAE is home to roughly 3.3 million Indians who make up a third of the population -- most of them in Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the federation.</p>.<p>The UAE's General Civil Aviation Authority said those coming from India through other countries must stay in that third destination for at least 14 days.</p>.<p>UAE nationals and passengers in private jets are exempt from that requirement. Cargo flights are not affected.</p>.<p>On Friday a ban on arrivals to Britain from India also came into force, except for British and Irish citizens or third-country nationals with residency rights.</p>.<p>One-way flights from Mumbai or Delhi to London on Friday were priced at between 100,000 and 150,000 rupees, at least double the usual rate when booking at short notice.</p>.<p>Seats on routes to the United States were still available but with prices substantially higher, in some cases almost double the normal fare.</p>