India and UAE Air Services to Enhance Weekly Seat Capacity

The Union Government of India and the Government of UAE on 24 April 2013 signed an MoU on Air Services as a follow up of the two day bilateral negotiation at Abu Dhabi. A bilateral agreement was signed by both sides to increase the number of weekly airline seats by four times that is available at present, between India and Abu Dhabi. 

With this agreement the number of seats between India and Abu Dhabi has been increased to 50000 passengers per week from existing capacity of 13300 + 2% flexibility (total 13,600) Seats per week with eleven points of call available to UAE. The arrangements in the agreement will extend over a period of three years. 

Distribution of the seats increased for all these years are as follows 

•  11000 seats per week in year 2013
•  12800 seats per week up to winter schedule 2014 
•  12870 seats per week up to winter schedule 2015

Few important facts about the agreement signed

•  UAE made a demand from India to allocate additional 40000 seats every week grant for Goa, Amritsar, Pune and Lucknow as additional points of calls and removal of maximum cap that is prescribed from each point of call in terms of seats/frequency per week. It also demanded for allowing third country/domestic code share facility. 
•  India made a request to UAE to grant the change of gauge facility at Abu Dhabi for Indian Carriers with an assurance of fifth freedom rights from the UAE. 
•  Both sides have also agreed to extend 3rd country and domestic code share facility of designated airlines of either side. The UAE have agreed to Indian request of change of gauge facility. While both sides have agreed to allow designated airlines of each side to have the option to change the aircraft in the territory of the other party.

The agreement on availability of seats came up with the exhaustion of the entire capacity of 13300 and following the demands of the Indian carriers like Jet Airways, Air India, Spice Jet and Indigo for increase in the number of seats. Following the results of the agreements signed, the air carriers of both the countries will be able to plan their future course of operations in next three years. Whereas the change of gauge facility signed between the two nations will also ensure operational and commercial flexibility to the Indian carriers to deploy equipment following the market demand. The agreement will also play a major role by increasing the international connectivity of the Indian passengers by facilitating local and international route networking.