A new report says that if India and the UAE agree to allow more flights between them, it could save Indian travelers over $1.05 billion. That’s because people are paying high prices right now due to limited flight options.
The study was shared by the UAE Embassy and ORF (Observer Research Foundation). It says that doubling the number of airline seats between the two countries in five years will make flying cheaper and better for travelers. Even a small yearly increase of just 5% in flights could save passengers around $152 million by 2028.
The report says both countries should work together quickly to open up the skies and stay ahead of growing travel demand. This way, they can grow stronger as global leaders in air travel.
Right now, airlines like Emirates have already used up their allowed flight seats to India — which is 66,000 seats per week. Indian airlines are also close to their limit. Because of this, Emirates has asked to increase the allowed number of seats. But some Indian airline leaders, like the CEO of Air India, are being careful. They say India should not allow too many foreign flights too quickly. They want to grow their own direct flight services to places like the US and Europe.
The current air agreement between India and the UAE was signed in January 2014. The UAE has now offered a new idea: for every 1 new flight seat given to a UAE airline, India could get 4 seats for its airlines. This is called a 4:1 seat ratio, but it’s just a starting idea.
The report also says the seat sharing rules should be flexible and change based on real demand, not fixed numbers. It recommends that UAE airlines be allowed to fly to smaller Indian cities like Jaipur, Lucknow, Patna, and Amritsar — not just the big ones.
Another idea is that both countries should work together to improve their airport hubs. The UAE already has busy airports like Dubai and Abu Dhabi, while India could grow hubs in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. They can even share investments to make Indian airports better, like the Adani Group working with Abu Dhabi Airports on Mumbai Airport.
With better flight connections and teamwork, both India and the UAE can make air travel smoother, faster, and cheaper for everyone.
Conclusion:
At Incognito Mystery Shopping Consultancy, we’ve been helping airlines improve their customer service for years. That’s why we proudly rank among the top 10 companies in the UAE for airline audits. We believe that better service leads to better journeys — in the air and on the ground.