Despite expensive deals, India's HNIs are booking flights for the World Cup and are expected to have a ...
Digital Desk: With only a few days left for the beginning of the FIFA Football World Cup 2022 in Qatar, companies providing air charter services in India are seeing an increase in bookings made by the country's high net-worth individuals (HNIs). The FIFA World Cup will be held in Qatar from November 20 to December 18.
Despite expensive deals, India's HNIs are booking flights for the World Cup and are expected to have a record-breaking presence during the games. The majority of the reserved flights are full.
An official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, told news agency ANI that one of India's High Net Worth Individuals had reserved the fastest 30-seat charter plane to witness the FIFA World Cup matches in Qatar.
In an interview with ANI, Insta Charter, a Delhi-based air charter sourcing company, stated that HNIs are expressing interest in hiring a private charter.
"The most trip requests we've received in the last month have been for FIFA matches in Qatar and Dubai," said Captain Abhishek Sinha, founder of Insta Charter.
The country's rich class has raised the demand for private charters for FIFA events, as hotels in Qatar are booked out and the number of hotels available does not match the number of FIFA spectators. The first FIFA World Cup to be staged in the Middle East and Arab world will begin on November 20, bringing together fans from around the world in a compact and modern location.
Insta Charter is a global air charter sourcing platform that connects business air charter operators and brokers. Most notable individuals who will be attending the FIFA match from India have booked their charters through Insta Charter, according to Insta Charter.
"We can clearly say this is indicative of the major presence of the who's who of the Indian business community at the event, but we can't mention the identity of our clients due to our privacy policy," Captain Sinha said.
People attending a 90-minute match of their favourite FIFA team are resorting to charters in order to return after the match on the same day, as the number of hotels in Qatar is insufficient to accommodate the number of visitors to FIFA.
Insta Charter's founder also states that "India's Ultra High Net Worth Individuals are under 40 and spend more on experiences than on Jewelry."
Private charters of 30-seater planes generally take roughly 5 hours one-way from Delhi to Qatar (Doha), and the operators charge the cost based on two-way pricing, which raises the cost if it includes plane holding, airport fees and crew charges.
"A two-way flight to Doha on a 30-seater jet should cost around INR 50 - 60 lacs Taxes, which is currently capable of commanding a price increase of 40-50% because of soaring demand and lopsided supply. From Mumbai, the pricing is nearly the same," said Insta Charter founder captain Sinha.
Meanwhile, ahead of the FIFA World Cup in Doha, Tata Group-owned Air India announced the start of 20 new weekly flights from major Indian cities Mumbai, Hyderabad, and Chennai to Qatar (Doha).
"The additional capacity will cater to the predicted rise in demand during the football extravaganza in Qatar scheduled for November and December 2022," the airline said in a statement.
Most football fans are eager to attend and see Argentina's superstar Lionel Messi's final match after he made a significant revelation claiming that the FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar will "certainly" be his last match. "It'll be my last World Cup," Lionel Messi recently stated.
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