The soaring cost of air tickets between Dhaka and destinations in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam) has become a major concern for migrant workers. Despite being a high-volume route, prices often remain exorbitantly high compared to neighbor countries.
Key Factors Driving High Prices
- High Demand vs. Limited Supply: With hundreds of thousands of workers deploying annually, the demand often outstrips the number of available seats, especially during labor recruitment surges.
- Regulatory Constraints: Limits on flight frequencies for foreign carriers can reduce competition, allowing dominant airlines to keep prices high.
- Third-Party Syndicates: Ticket hoarding by travel agencies and middlemen artificially inflates prices during peak seasons.
- Operational Costs: Rising jet fuel prices and airport handling charges also contribute to the base fare.
The Impact on Workers
High airfare adds directly to the migration cost, forcing many workers to take larger loans. This extends their "break-even" period—the time it takes to earn back their initial investment.
Possible Solutions
Industry experts suggest increasing the number of flights by Biman Bangladesh Airlines and Saudi carriers, breaking agent syndicates through digital ticketing, and regulatory intervention to cap fares for labor visa holders.