Mumbai: Jet Airways has redrawn its flight strategy for the 'winter schedule' by quietly withdrawing flights originating from Abu Dhabi to two other cities in the Middle East, a move that may reduce the Naresh Goyal-founded airline to a feeder carrier for Etihad Airways, its significant minority owner.
Starting October 25, the new winter schedule will not have Jet flights operating from the UAE capital to Dammam and Kuwait, leaving little choice but to choose Etihad to travel to those destinations for Jet passengers flying via Abu Dhabi.
The move has surprised the travel industry as, apart from financial lifeline, the Indian carrier had touted 'fifth freedom rights' - the privilege to use an overseas airport as hub - as one of the key benefits to it arising out of the Etihad deal.
11/08/15 Satish John & Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
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Starting October 25, the new winter schedule will not have Jet flights operating from the UAE capital to Dammam and Kuwait, leaving little choice but to choose Etihad to travel to those destinations for Jet passengers flying via Abu Dhabi.
The move has surprised the travel industry as, apart from financial lifeline, the Indian carrier had touted 'fifth freedom rights' - the privilege to use an overseas airport as hub - as one of the key benefits to it arising out of the Etihad deal.
11/08/15 Satish John & Anirban Chowdhury/Economic Times
