India puts talks on flying rights revision with Dubai on hold

The Indian aviation ministry has put on hold its negotiations with Dubai on increasing bilateral flying rights.

As per an ET report the ministry's decision to defer the matter was due to disapproval of an internal proposal to increase flying entitlements between the two countries to 8,000 seats per week. The ministry is said to have found no rationale to increase these entitlements.

India and Dubai permit their airlines to operate 65,000 seats per week from each side. Dubai had reportedly sought an increase of 50,000 seats.

The reason behind the disapproval could be differences in opinions of civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju and Minister of State Jayant Sinha on the merits of increasing flying rights with Dubai, said the official. According to him, Raju was supporting a nominal increase in expansion of airlines, whereas Sinha was opposing it saying the aviation hubs have moved to West Asian destinations like Dubai.

The other expected reason behind the stalled talks could be the response of Indian airlines. As per another ministry official, while Air India had completely opposed any increase in bilateral entitlements, carriers like IndiGo and Jet Airways were also not very keen on an increase.