India to hike Saudi flying rights by 40pc

India has allowed Saudi Arabia a 40 per cent hike in flying rights quota from April 1, according to a report in The Economic Times. The move will make Saudi Arabia the only country within a 5,000-km flying distance from India to have its quota increased. Requests for an increase in flying rights by others like Dubai, Qatar, China, Singapore and Malaysia, among others, have been rejected.  Saudi Arabia had announced plans to invest $100 billion in India’s infrastructure sector during the crown prince’s visit.

According to rules, flights between two countries are governed by air services agreements — also called bilateral flying rights.  Under the new aviation policy, no country within 5,000 km flying distance from India will be allowed any extra seats unless Indian carriers exhaust 80pc of the flying rights quota.  In the case of Saudi Arabia, the utilisation by Indian carriers is still about 74pc (barring Dammam), but the aviation ministry expects it to cross 80pc by April. 

Saudi Arabia has unilaterally allowed Indian carriers to add as many flights as they want to Dammam. If flights to Dammam were to be included, India operates more flights to Saudi Arabia than vice versa.  “The external affairs ministry insisted on implementing the increase in quota on the back of various incentives provided by Saudi Arabia,” said an official in the know, who did not want to be identified.