‘Curbs on flights from Gulf to India will result in cost airlines dear’
The Hindu
‘urbs on flights from Gulf to India will result in cost airlines dear, says Emirates President Sir Tim Clark
The Centre’s refusal to allow Gulf carriers more flights into India could “constrain” growth here and result in losses of “$800-$900 million” for airlines, laments Emirates President Sir Tim Clark.
“We’re not here to threaten. We are never here to cause worry,” Mr. Clark said at a media roundtable on the sidelines of the CAPA India Aviation Summit 2023. “We are here to add value to the Indian economy and for the citizens of India,” said Mr. Clark, whose childhood memories are filled with experiences of flying with Air India.
Dubai has demanded that the air service agreement it signed with the Government of India in 2014, allowing its airlines to mount 66,000 seats to India, be raised by another 50,000.
“If you don’t expand the capacity, the losers will be people who want to go there [the Indian citizens]. Carriers will lose $800 to $900 million worth of income every year by not taking that growth up to where we think it should be today,” the Emirates President said.
The government’s refusal ironically comes at “hugely exciting times” and “enthusiasm” in the India story such as the “8% GDP growth outstripping just about every GDP CGPR in the world,” Mr. Clark underlined.