Weekly seat entitlement with Gulf 'dwarfs' other markets: CAPA

The weekly seat entitlement for airlines from Gulf countries is likely to cross 1.35 lakh in 2015-16, a "massive increase" from 10,400 in 2003-04, resulting in UAE carriers dwarfing all other markets, according to Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation (CAPA).

“It dwarfs the access offered to any single other country; it is almost as much as all European countries combined, which have just over 160,000 seats available to them,” the CAPA report said.

The report noted that India is unique in having separate bilateral agreements with different emirates of the UAE. Agreements are currently in place with Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah.

Despite the recent opening up of the market, it said, the UAE carriers are still seeking an additional 60,000 weekly seats in the short to medium term in order to support increased frequencies to existing destinations. 

They are also seeking deployment of A380s on metro routes other than Delhi and Mumbai and the opening up of new points of call for flyDubai and Air Arabia.

“The business plans of UAE carriers entail massive expansion over the next decade and liberal access to the Indian market will be key to supporting this growth,” the report said.