The Hindu Business Line : Talks with UAE, Tunisia for air connectivity soon

IN a move that could further improve air connectivity between India and the Gulf region, Indian authorities are scheduled to hold bilateral air services talks with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Tunisia next month.

Senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation told Business Line that the bilateral air services talks with UAE and Tunisia had been "tentatively" fixed for the second week of February although the exact dates have not yet been finalised. The talks are to be held in Abu Dhabi and Tunis respectively.

The successful completion of the talks could see several new airlines of the UAE, starting regular flights to India. Interestingly, the Web site of the two newly launched airline including Etihad Airways, the new national airlines of the United Arab Emirates and the Sharjah-based airline, Air Arabia, talk about launching flights to India.

While the Web site of Etihad Airways states that the launch of a thrice a week service on the Abu Dhabi-Mumbai sector will be announced shortly, the site of Air Arabia talks about launching "efficient and affordable" means of travel to and from Sharjah International airport and points in West Asia and Indian subcontinent.

Both the airlines were launched late last year. A high-level delegation from Etihad Airways also visited Delhi in late December for talks with senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation. While Etihad Airways operates Airbus A-330-200 aircraft, Air Arabia operates Airbus A-320 aircraft. However, officials refused to speculate which airlines would start operating flights to India if the air services bilateral talks conclude successfully. Sources said that it would be up to the authorities in India and the UAE to designate which airline should be allowed to operate the additional flights that are agreed to at the air services bilaterals.