Emirates Optimistic on India Flight Capacity Talks

Emirates maintains an optimistic outlook regarding government-level discussions aimed at relaxing seat limitations on flights connecting India and Dubai. The airline's deputy president and chief commercial officer, Adnan Kazim, indicated that demand from India continues to significantly outstrip the available capacity.

Kazim emphasized that India is a key market for Emirates, supported by robust and consistent demand. He stated that any increase in capacity would benefit travelers and the aviation sector, allowing India to play a more substantial role in Emirates' global network. He expressed confidence in ongoing bilateral government engagement.

These limitations, which have remained static since the air services agreement was last revised in 2014, affect both Emirates' flights to India and reciprocal caps on Indian carriers flying to Dubai. Last year, Emirates reported that the demand-supply gap on the India-Dubai route was more than two and a half times the allocated weekly seat entitlement of 65,000, with actual demand nearing 200,000.

Currently, Emirates operates 167 weekly flights to India. Kazim clarified that capacity constraints, not diminished demand, have led to India falling from Emirates' top five markets to its top ten. He described seat factors as being at "turn-away levels," underscoring the high demand. The airline is open to "commercially meaningful collaborations" with Indian carriers, such as codeshares, but stressed that partnerships alone cannot fulfill growth ambitions without adequate international capacity.