PPRuNe Forums - View Single Post - Qatar to Further Increase Indian Services
Old 1st March 2005 | 11:54
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rsoman
 
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 407
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From: Chennai (MAA)
To clarify my earlier post

For the last few years, the Indian govt is having a limited "open skies" policy during winter months (Oct to Mar). Basically this allows carriers to easily obtain approvals to increase flights much beyond their sanctioned capacity during this period. Main condition is that the airline should already have been operating the route earlier.

This explains the reason why QR increased the frequency by a big way on routes like HYD,COK, TRV etc, esp in the case of the first two, they earlier had limited frequencies. They are not the only carrier by any means to take advantage, Emirates for instance has increased their weekly DXB HYD flights from 8 to 14. But regarding the total quantum increase, QR has had the maximum increase for any carrier.

As mentioned, these services will have to go once summer starts. The policy may continue in the coming years also , although recent developments like allowing pvt carriers like Jet and Sahara on international routes (although not yet to Middle East for which they have to wait another three years) as well as the open skies agreement with US may force the Indian government to rethink.
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