DUBAI — A simmering debate over bilateral flying rights between India and the UAE escalated at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Annual General Meeting on Monday, as IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers responded sharply to Emirates’ calls for an increase in air travel capacity between Dubai and India.
“First of all, it’s called a bilateral agreement, right? That means two sides have to agree on something,” Elbers said, without naming Emirates directly. “If one side makes more and more noise, it doesn’t mean you’re more and more right.”
His comments followed a statement by Emirates Airlines President Tim Clark on Sunday, in which he criticized the cap of 65,000 weekly seats in each direction — a limit that has remained unchanged for over 11 years. Clark noted the explosive growth in Dubai’s Indian population and tourism, saying the current limits were preventing market growth and restricting options for travelers.
“Fifteen years ago, the population to Dubai was about 2.5 million. This is now over 8 million,” Clark said. “Dubai is one of the fastest growing cities and 40% of the ethnic mix is of Indian origin. The Indian government has a policy of restricting foreign carrier capacity into India, and they have their reasons for that.”
Elbers defended India’s position, pointing out the imbalance in the past where foreign carriers had a massive presence while Indian airlines had limited international operations.
“For a government to say, ‘First, let’s use the existing pool of traffic rights, and then look at new ones,’ I think that’s a completely fair and balanced approach,” Elbers added.
The Indian government has maintained a cautious stance on expanding flying rights for foreign carriers, citing the need to strengthen Indian airlines and ensure a level playing field. With homegrown carriers like IndiGo and Air India now ramping up their international operations, the issue of market share and equitable access is likely to remain a contentious one in the coming years.
