NEW DELHI: Indian globetrotters will soon get more choice of flights — along with possibly lower fares due to increased connectivity — to the west and Africa via the Gulf.
India has enhanced the flying rights or bilaterals of Oman by 30%, allowing the airlines of both countries to operate 27,405 seat per week from the coming summer - up 6,258 seats from the earlier figure of 21,147 seats.
Similarly, India has given a conditional nod to increase the bilaterals with Saudi Arabia to 28,000 weekly seats from 20,000. This hike will kick in when Indian carriers utilize 80% utilization of their current flying rights. Bilaterals between two countries allow airlines of both sides to operate those many seats. Dubai is pursuing for an increase in bilaterals.
Gulf carriers account for almost one-third of all the international traffic between India and rest of the world. Last year, India had 4.9 crore international travellers. The top 10 airlines in terms of passenger carriage in 2015 had as many as six Gulf carriers - Emirates (53.7 lakh travellers to and from India in 2015); Etihad (21.4 lakh); Qatar Airways (20.9 lakh); Air Arabia (17.7 lakh); Saudi Arabian (14 lakh) and Oman Air (13.8 lakh).
Muscat-based Oman Air had earlier this year indicated to TOI that it may invest in an Indian carrier if India goes in for open skies with Oman — under which there is no restriction on the number of seats or flights that can be operated between the two countries.
"Our entitlements are much less compared to other Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) member airlines like Emirates, Etihad and Qatar. With our current bilaterals, we are unable to operate wide body aircraft to India. We have 126 flights a week to 11 destinations in India and all are operated on the single aisle Boeing 737. We want to go up to 175 weekly flights and that will require at least 29,000 weekly seats," Oman Air CEO Paul Gregorowitch had told TOI this June, adding, "We need 29,000 weekly seats or open skies with India. If that happens, it will make sense for us to invest in an Indian carrier."
While it will expand its India operations after the increased flying rights, Oman Air did not respond to a query on whether it will invest in an Indian carrier now. Oman Air wants to deploy wide body aircraft to cities like Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Kochi.
Three years back, Etihad had picked up 24% stake in Jet Airways for $379 million hours after India enhanced Abu Dhabi's flying rights from 13,300 seats per week to 50,000 by 2016 in a phased manner. Qatar has also sought open skies with India and its flag carrier, Qatar Airways, has long been eyeing to pick up stake in IndiGo. India last gave additional flying rights to Qatar in 2009 and Qatar Airways currently deploys about 24,000 weekly seats to India.
Emirates, for example, is known as the virtual national carrier of India as India, over the years has allowed Dubai-based carriers (mainly Emirates) to operate 66,000 seats a week to India. Abu Dhabi's Etihad is allowed to operate 50,000 seats a week to India.
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