Mumbai: About 75% Indian passengers who flew Etihad Airways last year travelled to destinations beyond Abu Dhabi. This fact was highlighted by private airport operators while opposing the demand to enhance seat capacity on India-Abu Dhabi sector.
Civil aviation ministry increased the weekly seat capacity on the route from around 13,000 to 50,000 brushing aside opposition from Delhi and Mumbai airports and airlines including Air India. The airports had argued that allowing an increase in capacity will impact their potential as aviation hubs.
The Association of Private Airport Operators had pointed out to the government 25.7% of Etihad Airways passengers between India-Abu Dhabi could be categorised as origin-destination traffic which means Abu Dhabi was the destination. The rest that is 74.3% of passengers flew onward to other destinations in Europe, US and other parts of world.
02/04/13 Aneesh Phadnis/Business Standard
