Abu Dhabi: Dubai has asked the Indian government to increase seats between the two countries by more 50,000 per week, local media reported.
Dubai Civil Aviation Authority director-general Mohammed A Ahli, on a letter to Union Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia, has also sought permission for its airlines to fly direct to additional points of call — Amritsar, Tiruchirapalli, Coimbatore, Kannur, Goa, Bhubaneswar, Guwahati and Pune.
Since 2014, India-Dubai bilaterals stand at 65,200 seats per week to be utilised by designated carriers of either sides.
The New Indian Express reports that the UAE has been mounting pressure on the Indian government to allow more flights from there. Even Emirates President Tim Clark had earlier asked the Indian government to open up more routes.
“The governments of India and UAE have taken a series of steps to further promote trade and commerce as well as cooperation in various areas, and the Dubai-India air transport sector continues to be the cornerstone of all such businesses as well as in bringing together the people and exchange of ideas between our two nations.”
Ahli, in his letter, stated.
“… We would specifically like… enhancement of bilateral capacity between Dubai – India and vice versa by an additional 50,000 seats per week in each direction …”
He also expressed his “great interest in serving other secondary cities in India as the Airports Authority of India recently upgraded to international standards”.
