Note on enhanced air traffic rights between India, Abu Dhabi

The Civil Aviation Ministry is revising a note for the Union Cabinet on the enhanced bilateral air traffic rights between India and Abu Dhabi, following concerns raised by some political leaders over it.
But there is no question of revising the number of seats already agreed upon with Abu Dhabi under the bilateral air traffic agreement in April. Under an MoU, both sides had decided to increase the number of seats by 36,670 seats per week over three years, taking the total to 50,000.
"There is no question of revising the bilaterals," Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said when asked whether there was any possibility of slashing the number of seats.

"Looking at the growth in air traffic out of India, in fact we might have to give more bilaterals (to various countries)," he said.
Official sources said an international agreement between two sovereign nations cannot be changed unilaterally as any such move would be a violation of its international commitment. It could have serious implications for India in the international community, even to the extent of the matter being dragged to the International Court of Justice.
The note for the Cabinet, which is being revised, would include the concerns raised by various quarters and flagged by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) and the Ministry's point-by -point responses to them, the sources said.

An air services bilateral between two countries allows their designated airlines to increase the number of flights operated between them.
After several political leaders raised objections to the enhancement of the bilateral rights soon after the Rs 2,058 crore stake sale deal between Jet Airways and Abu Dhabi carrier Etihad, the PMO came out with a statement rebutting their charges.
The PMO, which wanted the note prepared for Cabinet approval to be modified, sent it back to the Civil Aviation Ministry on June 13 to redraft it.