EaseMyTrip quietly restarts flight bookings in the Maldives within a few months under the concept of “Country first, Business second”
Travel company EaseMyTrip has quietly resumed flight bookings from Indian cities to Maldives within a few months after banning all flight bookings to the island nation on January 8, 2024. . EaseMyTrip was the first travel company to join the ‘social media war’ when three Maldives ministers made disparaging remarks about India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two-day visit to Lakshadweep on the 2nd. January 2024, where the Prime Minister posted several pictures on social media highlighting the beauty of Lakshadweep.
EaseMyTrip starts booking Maldives flight tickets
Anyone traveling to Maldives can now book flights on the EaseMyTrip platform from any Indian city. The “indefinite ban” previously imposed in January appears to have been withdrawn. However, note that EaseMyTrip has not made any official announcement regarding this matter.
Maldives faced backlash from India, especially on social media, due to unwarranted comments made by three of its ministers. Many Indians responded to the insults by completely eliminating Maldives from their travel plans while EaseMyTrip went a step further and banned all flight bookings to the Maldives on their platform.
EaseMyTrip’s message “Country first, business second”.
With the recent ‘anti-Maldives’ sentiment fading among Indian citizens, EaseMyTrip quietly, without making any official announcement, has restarted flight bookings to Maldives. In January 2024, when the travel company implemented a sudden ban, it caused a stir on social media. EaseMyTrip even sent a WhatsApp message to users explaining their “Country first, business second” stance as well as why they banned booking flights to the Maldives.
Although the Maldives Association of Travel Agents and Tour Operators (MATATO) apologized to EaseMyTrip CEO Nishant Pitti in an open letter, in January Pitti did not reconsider the ban and said: “Arrest Effective January 8, we have indefinitely suspended all travel bookings to the Maldives. . For us, our country takes priority over profits…We are extremely proud of India’s beautiful beaches.” The company even introduced “NATIONFIRST” and “NationFIRST” coupons. BHARATFIRST” After these announcements by the CEO, the company’s stock witnessed a notable surge. Many called the company’s move a PR exercise aimed at playing on sentiments Indian.
