India and Dubai tonight decided to increase bilateral air traffic rights by 11,000 seats per week after a marathon 11-hour meeting here.
According to the understanding, the number of seats will be increased by 5,500 in the summer schedule starting March-end, another 3,300 from winter-schedule starting October-end and the remaining 2,220 from the summer season next year, official sources told PTI after the meeting.
After this pact, the number of seats flown by carriers of both sides each week would go up to 65,000 seats from the current 54,000.
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The Indian side is understood to have given new points of call (destinations) to Dubai carriers.
In a major relaxation offered by Dubai authorities, Indian carriers will be able to change gauge there from now on. Changing of gauge means they can switch over to larger or smaller aircraft to carry passengers onwards.
The sources said the Dubai side moved a proposal for the Indian carriers to shift to another airport terminal, which was opposed by the Indian team.
In 2012, Dubai had sought an increase by 20,000 seats per week. However, at that time Indian carriers were not fully utilising their entitlements and so, no decision was taken.
Since then, Indian carriers, including IndiGo and SpiceJet, have started new flights to Dubai and utilising over 80 per cent of the entitlements. By summer schedule starting this month end, this number may go up to 95 per cent. This has prompted the government to consider Dubai's request now.
An inter-ministerial group had met a few days ago and heard the concerns expressed by Air India and some private carriers about increase of 20,000 seats per week in bilateral entitlements as requested by Dubai. The group comprised officials of the ministries of Commerce, Finance, Tourism, External Affairs and Civil Aviation.
Officials had later said that these concerns would be kept in mind when they restart negotiations with the aviation team from Dubai.
