New Delhi: With the stake sale finally concluded, the Jet-Etihad combine will look forward to the civil aviation ministry’s decision on the proposal to increase bilateral seat entitlements between Abu Dhabi and India.
Before Wednesday’s deal, Jet had sought enhancing seat entitlements to Abu Dhabi to 54,000 seats a week, out of which Jet plans to utilise 42,000 seats a week in the next two years. Currently, Indian carriers have
entitlements of only 13,300 per week. The change will lead to 2.8 million Indian passengers a year flying to Abu Dhabi.
Higher entitlements will be a key positive for the Jet-Etihad combine. Jet plans on utilising ‘fifth flying freedom rights’ that will enable it to open routes like Kochi-Abu Dhabi-Kuwait, which starts from May 16. Sources said that Jet is also looking at similar routes across West Asia and the North African region with destinations like Najaf in Iraq, Cairo in Egypt, Beirut in Lebanon and Amman in Jordan — all connected via Abu Dhabi.
25/04/13 Fianancial Express
