Picture credits: Akasa Air
India: Akasa Air has raised significant concerns regarding the allocation of bilateral flying rights to the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The airline argues that the current distribution of these rights creates an unequal playing field, depriving it of a fair opportunity to compete with established players such as Air India and IndiGo.
In a letter addressed to Civil Aviation Secretary Vumlunmang Vualnam earlier this month, Priya Mehra, Chief of Governance & Strategic Acquisitions at Akasa Air, emphasized the dominance of incumbent airlines in the UAE market. Air India and IndiGo operate multiple daily flights connecting various Indian cities with destinations like Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah.
According to Mehra, this extensive network gives the dominant carriers an unfair advantage, making it difficult for new entrants like Akasa to compete effectively.
Akasa Air, which began flying internationally in March 2024, has ambitious expansion plans and has been seeking traffic rights to the UAE for over a year. Specifically, the airline has made repeated requests to operate flights to Dubai, Sharjah, and Abu Dhabi. However, despite its efforts, it has struggled to secure the necessary rights to these high-demand destinations.
In an effort to free up space for the UAE-Abu Dhabi route, the airline surrendered traffic rights for six other countries—Hong Kong, Kenya, Egypt, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, and Nepal—making these available for future allocation. This gesture was made in good faith, with the hope that these freed-up rights would benefit Akasa’s bid for UAE routes.
However, Akasa Air’s situation became more complicated when it learned that the Ministry of Civil Aviation had reallocated seats from the UAE-Abu Dhabi pool to other emirates, such as Ras Al Khaimah and Sharjah. These rights were then given to other Indian carriers. Akasa raised concerns about the fairness of this shift, questioning both the legality of such a reallocation and the lack of precedents for such a move. The airline also queried why it was not granted rights to Sharjah by making similar adjustments in the past.
In response to these challenges, Akasa Air has formally requested the Ministry to allocate the desired traffic rights for the UAE-Abu Dhabi route, with the hope of utilizing them for the upcoming winter 2024 or summer 2025 schedules. Additionally, the airline has expressed interest in securing traffic rights for Sharjah if any remaining capacity exists following the recent changes. Akasa has assured the Ministry that it will immediately use any allocated rights, offering affordable and enhanced travel options for Indian travelers.
Despite these challenges, Akasa Air has acknowledged the Ministry’s ongoing support. Priya Mehra emphasized that the airline’s growth, both in the domestic and international markets, has been greatly facilitated by the Ministry of Civil Aviation’s guidance. She expressed confidence that the Ministry will continue to address industry issues with fairness and responsiveness.
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