Reader question: Am I entitled for annual air ticket?

Air Ticket allowance – do you get one?

On the Emirates Diary ForumOpens in a new tab., I was asked a questions: “Am I entitled for air ticket every year as per UAE Labour Law?

air ticket allowance

Previously I thought that if you work in UAE, you are by default entitled for air ticket. However, after reading the UAE labour Law, I cam to know that, Annual Air Ticket allowance is not mentioned anywhere in Labour Law. Providing air ticket to employees is not mandatory in the UAE Labour Law. It is an added facility over and above salary and other allowances that companies provide to employees. Most of us do think that air ticket is a right of employees. But providing air ticket is not mandatory as per UAE Labour Law.

When is Air Ticket allowance applicable?

However, there are certain situations, when a company is liable to provide air ticket:

  1. Upon expiry of employee’s employment contract:

When an employee completes the employment contract and there is no intention to renew the contract, the company should provide the air ticket to the employee’s home country. This is mentioned in the Article 131 of the UAE Labour LawOpens in a new tab.:

air ticket

Article 131: Expenses for repatriation of an employee to his place of origin or any other place agreed upon by both parties shall be borne by the employer. If the employee after the end of his contract takes up employment somewhere else, repatriation expenses upon termination of his service shall be paid by the last employer subject to the provisions in the preceding clauses, and if the employer has failed to repatriate the employee and has not paid the repatriation expenses, the competent authorities shall do this at the employer’s expense by way of attachment. If the cause for termination of contract is attributed to the employee, his repatriation will be arranged at his own expense if he has the mean to pay.

Further Article 131 (Repeated) elaborates this:

air ticket allowance

Article 131 (Repeated): In application of the provisions stated in the preceding clause, the expenses of employer’s repatriation shall mean the cost of his travel ticket and whatever is provided for in the employment contract or in the bylaws of the Establishment, such as the employee’s entitlement to travel tickets for his family and costs for shipment of his luggage.

2. Upon Termination of Employment Contract

When an employer / company fires an employee or terminates the employment contractOpens in a new tab., (also read Termination of Employment ContractOpens in a new tab.) the employee is eligible for one way air ticket to their home country (home country defined in contract). If your labour contract is terminated or in simple words, if you are fired from your job, you are eligible for air ticket back home.

As you can see, air ticket is not a right of an employee. However, under certain situations you are eligible for air ticket.

Deepak

Deepak is a passionate blogger with interests in bitcoin, online marketing, and writing.

19 thoughts on “Reader question: Am I entitled for annual air ticket?

  1. Dear Sir,
    I was working my company past 3.5 year and company not allow to me go my home country because of lack of man power, as per contract 2year 1 air ticket allowance and 30days annual leave. after 3.5 year I resigned company. they informed me your not eligible for air ticket allowance cost(my last 3year).

    1. Hi, I would suggest you to speak to the HR department. Each company has its own policy regarding the air ticket allowances.

  2. Hi,

    I was hired by a company and they applied for my working visa. I came here on a tourist Visa last May 2021. I am already working with them since 06 June 2021. After my medical assessment, they found an old TB scar on my X-Ray and I was qualified as “UNFIT”.
    Now, my company had no choice but to cancel my working VISA application. However, the Immigration would only cancel the VISA application once we show a return ticket to my home country. MY PROBLEM NOW IS MY COMPANY WOULD WANT ME TO PAY FOR THE AIRFARE. Is this legally right? Want does the law says on this particular case? I need a counsel for this since they would me to pay for it.

  3. T**** agriculture is does not give air ticket to its employees (who completed they contracts).
    The HR doesn’t care whatsoever.

  4. Hi sir/madan I am housemaid. I am working 3years in dubai same family . I completed my contract. Now I want to leave Dubai. They give me one ari ticket. They said it’s this year ticket. Can I know about my last 2yera ari ticket. I didn’t use my last2 year ticket.

  5. Greetings, Every year annual leave company paying Air Ticket amount.
    This year am leaving with my family in DXB.
    I want to spend my annual vacation with my family in UAE only.
    Company not providing Annual Air ticket amount.
    If, person will travel it will be eligible.
    MAY I KNOW AS PER LAW IS IT?

  6. How about if it was written in the employment offer that you signed? That ticket allowance will be provided every two years against air ticket. Is the employer obligated to give it to you? Thanks.

  7. Wen have completed my contract, do I need my company to provide me an air ticket??

  8. HELLO. ARE YOU ELIGIBLE FOR A FLIGHT TICKET TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY IF YOU RESIGN FROM YOUR COMPANY IN DUBAI?

  9. Dear sir/madam,
    our Dubai company has a new employee (an Indian lady) She will work 5.5 days full time in Dubai , do we need to pay her Annual air ticket back to home

    She gets her sponsorship Visa from her husband. Can she work for us and DO we need to Apply a Work Visa for her?

  10. dear Deepak M
    kindly its request ladies working in uae there no have any holidays national day Rabi’ Al-Awwal islam new year any sepical days pls kindly uae think about it

  11. After finishing my 2yrs contract.i should get free ticket back and forth from Dubai ryt?what if I’m not going to renew?

      1. How about if it was written in the employment offer that you signed? That ticket allowance will be provided every two years against air ticket. Is the employer obligated to give it to you? Thanks.

  12. good day deepak. I went for vacation and according to my contract I am eligible for yearly ticket. I applied 2 months in advance and buy my own ticket and will get refund. I joined April 11 last year and went on vacation march 20 till April 20 but got terminated on April 19 due to redundancy. Will i still get my refund for the 2 way ticket I bought

  13. In UAE labor law air ticketing is not mentioned for them. If a labor is fired out from the job ?? then?

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