Indian carriers given desired slots, says Dubai airport
Dubai International Airport (DXB) has rejected the charge that Indian carriers were being denied desired slots, adding the allocation process was “impartial”.
Indian Airlines have complained to the government they were being denied desired slots at DXB. In a rare intervention first reported by HT on February 19, the Indian government asked the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority (DCAA) to ensure that DXB allots “feasible” slots to Indian carriers.
“The Indian carriers have said they are not being provided the required slots at Dubai airport with Dubai Airport Authority either turning down their requests or providing options that are not viable for operations,” aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju had said in a letter to Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, president, DCAA.
India is now even considering linking the grant of further bilaterals (number of seats) to Dubai to Indian carriers getting desired slots at DXB.
“The slot allocation process is based on international standards and applies equally to all airlines,” said Lorne Riley, director, Corporate Communications, Dubai Airports. “We follow IATA slot guidelines which apply equally to all airlines. Slot coordination is administered independently by a company that does the same at Heathrow airport,” he said.
DXB is the world’s number one international airport with annual traffic of 78 million passengers in 2015. Traffic is projected to reach 83 million in 2016.