Manama: India barred UAE airlines to operate chartered flights in the sector. The latest move comes following the UAE government’s ban on carrying passengers to Dubai on Air India and private airlines.
Though the Indian government hasn’t issued an official order in this regard, the UAE airlines, including Emirates, Etihad, Air Arabia, and Flydubai were verbally informed of the decision, according to sources.
The unexpected move by the central government has put many expat organizations in trouble that have planned charter flights with UAE airlines. The latest decision led to a couple of flight cancellations from Dubai for the second consecutive day on Saturday.
Major UAE airlines have been operating charter flights on behalf of companies and community groups for the repatriation of Indians stranded in the Gulf country due to the travel restrictions enacted in view of the coronavirus pandemic. Several companies and community groups have chartered repatriation flights with the UAE airlines.
As part of its coronavirus restrictions, India has banned scheduled international flights on March 22, and the suspension remains in force until July 31. Air India began repatriation flights under Vande Bharat Mission from May 6 and domestic and Middle East airlines had been allowed to operate charter flights from May 25. Since then, many of the UAE airlines have flown to India under chartered services.
An Indian government source said there was an issue of equality and Indian carriers were facing challenges in operating to the UAE. Efforts are also under way to resolve the issue diplomatically, sources said.
Repatriation flights have become a bone of contention between India and foreign governments. The aviation dispute with the UAE is the latest example.
On June 23rd, the American administration has enforced a ban on Air India’s repatriation flights, saying the Indian government has been engaging in discriminatory treatment of US airlines by barring them from operating similar flights.
According to reports, requests have also been made by the UAE airlines to permit transport of passengers from India and that is pending. Presently, airlines are operating ferry flights to the UAE.
Last week, Air India announced that passengers who wish to travel to Dubai on a Vande Bharat flight needed a specific approval from the UAE embassy. Since then, only a few passengers have managed to travel to Dubai on Air India Express flights.
The Dubai government has opened doors to permanent residents from June 23, but Indian repatriation airlines are not allowed to carry passengers to the UAE. Diplomatic level negotiations between the UAE and India are ongoing to allow charters with passengers on both in-bound and out-bound flights.
Many organisations who had already obtained approval for chartered flights with the UAE airlines, have now been denied landing permission since Friday. According to reports, the Center is sticking on Indian aircraft for chartered services.
Two chartered flights to India by expat organisations were cancelled at the last moment, an Etihad Airways EY254 flight chartered from Abu Dhabi to Kozhikode and an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah to Madurai, as the Directorate of General Civil Aviation (DGCA) denied landing permission. The Kozhikode bound flight, carrying 183 passengers, was scheduled to take off at 2.20pm from the Abu Dhabi International Airport.
Though many Indian expats organisations have submitted applications for new chartered flights services using the UAE airlines, the Center has not considered any of these requests. This has made the journey of many stranded Indians uncertain. Barring the UAE carriers from operating chartered flights is causing serious concern among expats, as more Indians from the UAE repatriated through chartered flights than those through Vande Bharat Mission flights.
According to an official data, Indian airlines carried 32,435 passengers from the UAE till July 2, while carriers from the UAE operated 356 flights to India, carrying a total of 67,559 passengers.
Meanwhile, charter flights in other Gulf countries have not been affected by this decision.
