Indian carriers may increase Abu Dhabi flights in Nov

Civil aviation ministry working towards completing process of granting increased seat entitlements.

Indian carriers,with plans to start new flights to Abu Dhabi,could possibly launch from the current winter schedule that begins November this year,with the civil aviation ministry hopeful of initiating the process of granting them the increased seat entitlements before the end of October.

We have asked all our carriers to send us their plans for new flights to Abu Dhabi. The requests are expected to reach us in a week and we will allocate them seats from the increased bilateral entitlements. Once their requests reach us,we should process the requests in about two days and they can start their flights from the winter schedule, said a senior civil aviation ministry official. He added that they had asked the airlines to send their requirements a week ago.

The requests for increase in flights have been sought on the basis of a three-fold increase in weekly seat entitlements between India and Abu Dhabi over a period of three years. This increase was also post-facto approved by the Cabinet.

Story continues below this ad

The increase in bilateral entitlements has also been challenged in the Supreme Court by BJP leader Subramaniam Swamy,who has alleged that the bilateral entitlements were signed to facilitate the stake sale deal between Jet Airways and Etihad.

The Supreme Court has now asked the government to respond to Swamys allegations. The government collectively will respond to the Supreme Courts notice but the order does not stop us from processing the increase in bilateral entitlements, said a senior ministry official.

The current demands will be for increasing the entitlements by 11,000 weekly seats,agreed upon for 2013,from the current 13,600 weekly seats that is the increase proposed during the current calendar year.

Under the recently-signed air services pact between India and Abu Dhabi, the increase in entitlements is to be implemented over three years 11,000 seats per week in 2013,12,800 seats per week up to the winter schedule of 2014 and 12,870 seats per week up to the winter schedule of 2015.

Story continues below this ad

The biggest beneficiary from the increase in bilateral flying rights is likely to be Jet Airways,which has plans to connect around 23 cities in the country to the world via Abu Dhabi. The other airlines to ask for an increase would be Air India Express and SpiceJet.

MORE SEATS

* Under the recently-signed air services pact between India and Abu Dhabi,the increase in entitlements is to be implemented over three years

* In 2013 the number would go to 11,000 seats per week in 2013,12,800 seats up to the winter schedule of 2014 and 12,870 up to the winter schedule of 2015

* The biggest beneficiary of the increase is likely to be Jet Airways that has plans to connect 23 Indian cities to Abu Dhabi

Story continues below this ad

* Air India Express and SpiceJet too would seek an increase

PM Modi offers condolences, Kurnool bus fire tragedy

PM Modi announces Rs 2 lakh ex gratia for families of victims, Rs 50,000 for injured

India38 min ago

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Friday expresses deep condolences to those affected in the Kurnool bus fire tragedy that claimed lives of at least 12 people. He also offered an ex gratia of Rs 2 lakh from PMNRF that would be given to the next of kin of each deceased. The injured would be given Rs 50,000.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS