Muscat: More Indian destinations are likely to be connected soon by direct flights from Oman as the Indian government has decided to review the bilateral agreement with Omani for enhancement of air traffic rights between the two countries.
This will increase the seat entitlements to both sides, thereby enabling an increase in the number of flights.
Currently, the existing traffic entitlements are 11,550 seats per week(S/W) between India and the Sultanate of Oman. While Oman Air is exhausting its quota, all the Indian carriers combined together are using between 80 and 90 per cent of traffic entitlements.
While Oman Air flights can land in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram, Indian carriers can land only at Muscat and Salalah airports.
Speaking to Times of Oman, a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said that the ministry is all set to hold fresh talks to explore the possibilities of getting additional quota with countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Macao and Afghanistan, as the existing traffic entitlements with them have got exhausted. The official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation also said that the government has granted permission to Indian carriers to launch more flights from the country.
"During the last summer schedule, Indian airlines were allowed to operate 1,074 services per week and the number of services has been increased to 1,526 for the next summer and 1,695 for the next winter all over the world," the official said.
21/11/12 Rahul Das/Times of Oman
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This will increase the seat entitlements to both sides, thereby enabling an increase in the number of flights.
Currently, the existing traffic entitlements are 11,550 seats per week(S/W) between India and the Sultanate of Oman. While Oman Air is exhausting its quota, all the Indian carriers combined together are using between 80 and 90 per cent of traffic entitlements.
While Oman Air flights can land in Bangalore, Chennai, Delhi, Hyderabad, Jaipur, Kochi, Kozhikode, Lucknow, Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram, Indian carriers can land only at Muscat and Salalah airports.
Speaking to Times of Oman, a senior official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India, said that the ministry is all set to hold fresh talks to explore the possibilities of getting additional quota with countries such as Singapore, Thailand, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Iraq, Macao and Afghanistan, as the existing traffic entitlements with them have got exhausted. The official of the Ministry of Civil Aviation also said that the government has granted permission to Indian carriers to launch more flights from the country.
"During the last summer schedule, Indian airlines were allowed to operate 1,074 services per week and the number of services has been increased to 1,526 for the next summer and 1,695 for the next winter all over the world," the official said.
21/11/12 Rahul Das/Times of Oman
