Hundreds of passengers travelling to India may have to make alternative arrangements with Kuwait indicating that it would not allow Air India and Indian flights to land in its capital from July 1.
The move comes after New Delhi's reported unwillingness to allow an increase in the number of Kuwaiti flights from India despite Kuwait's request in line with an pact signed between both the countries, the Arab Times report said on Monday.
India's unwillingness is seen as an attempt to safeguard the interest of its state-owned carriers, it said. A circular indicating that Kuwait would not allow the flights of Indian carriers at its airport was issued to Air India and Indian by its Director General of Civil Aviation, the report quoted an unnamed Indian official as saying.
While a Kuwait Airways official said India have so far not taken any step in response to the circular, the Indian official expressed hope that the ongoing talks between Kuwait and India in New Delhi would find a solution to the issue.
"We are in touch with our head office in Delhi. On a daily basis, about a 100 passengers of Indian alone will be displaced if DGCA goes ahead with its decision," the Indian official said, adding, "we will know the outcome of the talks by Tuesday."
The Indian carriers, meanwhile, are in talks with other airlines to make alternate arrangements if the two sides fail to hammer out a deal. Passengers wishing to cancel their bookings with Indian airlines can do so without paying any cancellation fees thereby making their own arrangements, an official said.
Decision unfair, says India: Describing Kuwait's decision to stop Air India and Indian flights from July 1 as 'unfair and unwarranted', India said on Monday such moves would be harmful to the interests of travellers between the two countries.
"Such a decision is unfair and unwarranted. Especially when a bilateral agreement exists and negotiations are going on, such unilateral action will be harmful to the interests of travellers," a civil aviation ministry spokesperson said here.
Both sides are currently holding the second round of talks. Under the latest bilateral air services agreement signed in 2006, Kuwaiti airlines have been allowed to raise the number of seats per week from 5,200 to 8,000.
However, when Kuwait government sought more seats, it was amicably decided that another round of discussion would be held on this demand, the spokesperson said, adding "India is always ready for talks with Kuwaiti authorities and open for any discussion on the issue".
Meanwhile, the Indian ambassador in Kuwait is in parleys with the authorities in that country.
Civil aviation ministry officials briefed external affairs ministry on the issue at a meeting last week.
Air India operates four weekly flights to Mumbai and Indian three to southern cities. Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airlines operate daily flights to Mumbai and some more to South Indian cities.
A few weeks ago also, Kuwait had threatened to stop all flights to India from July 1, alleging that New Delhi was
going back on commitments in the bilateral agreement between both countries.
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