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Sun, 20 Jun 2004
gulf-news.com
News
Visa-change run to Kish gets cheaper for 16 nationalities
By Mahmood Saberi
Bureau Chief
Dubai: Sixteen nationalities will no longer need to pay a security deposit
when flying from the UAE to the Iranian island of Kish on a visa-change
trip, according to a Kish Airline source.
"It was a burden on the passenger, though it was only a deposit," said a
source at the airline.
Those excluded from paying the deposit are expatriates from India, Pakistan,
the Philippines, China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The CIS includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine.
Kish Airline, which runs six daily flights to the Island from Dubai, earlier
took up to Dh1,500 from each passenger from these countries.
This was to pay for the passenger's ticket home in case the sponsor did not
send a new visit visa for some reason.
Many passengers on visa-change run to the island have been stuck there for
days and sometimes months, due to glitches at the sponsor's end.
The security deposit varied depending on the nationality of the person.
For an Indian or a Filipino, it was Dh1,500. For Pakistanis it was Dh1,000.
The number of passengers from the excluded countries who had to be brought
back to Dubai and sent to their home countries was very small, said the
source, explaining the reason for waiving the deposit.
For Chadians and Ugandans the deposit is around Dh3,000 because of the high
air fare back to some of the African nations, said the source.
However, expatriates from Sudan, Chad, Tunisia, Uganda, Senegal and Nigeria,
still have to pay the security deposit.
Passengers from the excluded countries now only have to pay a surcharge of
Dh25.
"The airline has not increased the fare since a long time," said the source.
However, Qeshm Airline, which does the visa-change run from Dubai to a
smaller island off Iran, is still taking the security deposit from
passengers.
EXCLUDED
Surety amounted to Dh1,500
• Expatriates from countries India, Pakistan, the Philippines, China and the
CIS are excluded from paying a security deposit when flying to Kish island
on visa-change procedures.
• Earlier Kish Airline used to charge up to Dh1,500 from each passenger to
meet any contingency.
• However, Qeshm Airline which flies to a smaller island off Iran still
charges the deposit amount.
Sun, 20 Jun 2004
gulf-news.com
News
Visa-change run to Kish gets cheaper for 16 nationalities
By Mahmood Saberi
Bureau Chief
Dubai: Sixteen nationalities will no longer need to pay a security deposit
when flying from the UAE to the Iranian island of Kish on a visa-change
trip, according to a Kish Airline source.
"It was a burden on the passenger, though it was only a deposit," said a
source at the airline.
Those excluded from paying the deposit are expatriates from India, Pakistan,
the Philippines, China and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).
The CIS includes Azerbaijan, Armenia, Belarus, Georgia, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and
Ukraine.
Kish Airline, which runs six daily flights to the Island from Dubai, earlier
took up to Dh1,500 from each passenger from these countries.
This was to pay for the passenger's ticket home in case the sponsor did not
send a new visit visa for some reason.
Many passengers on visa-change run to the island have been stuck there for
days and sometimes months, due to glitches at the sponsor's end.
The security deposit varied depending on the nationality of the person.
For an Indian or a Filipino, it was Dh1,500. For Pakistanis it was Dh1,000.
The number of passengers from the excluded countries who had to be brought
back to Dubai and sent to their home countries was very small, said the
source, explaining the reason for waiving the deposit.
For Chadians and Ugandans the deposit is around Dh3,000 because of the high
air fare back to some of the African nations, said the source.
However, expatriates from Sudan, Chad, Tunisia, Uganda, Senegal and Nigeria,
still have to pay the security deposit.
Passengers from the excluded countries now only have to pay a surcharge of
Dh25.
"The airline has not increased the fare since a long time," said the source.
However, Qeshm Airline, which does the visa-change run from Dubai to a
smaller island off Iran, is still taking the security deposit from
passengers.
EXCLUDED
Surety amounted to Dh1,500
• Expatriates from countries India, Pakistan, the Philippines, China and the
CIS are excluded from paying a security deposit when flying to Kish island
on visa-change procedures.
• Earlier Kish Airline used to charge up to Dh1,500 from each passenger to
meet any contingency.
• However, Qeshm Airline which flies to a smaller island off Iran still
charges the deposit amount.