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India., US sign deal to allow unrestricted flights

Civial Aviation Minister Praful Patel and US Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta shake hands after signing Air Traffic Transport Agreement between the two countries in New Delhi on Thursday (April 14).

     New Delhi: India and the United States signed an agreement on Thursday to allow unrestricted number of flights in each other's territory. The landmark agreement was signed here today by Indian Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and the United States transportation secretary Norman Y Mineta. Terming the agreement as a great beginning for a new chapter in the relationship of the two nations, Patel said that it would enhance not only people-to-people tie but also trade and commerce. The Union Cabinet presided by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had on Wednesday night given its nod for replacing the 1956 Air Services Agreement with the new one.

     Under the new agreement both India and the US can mount any number of flights to any point in each other's territory. The deal includes open routes, frequencies, pricing, as well as opportunities for cooperative marketing arrangements and is expected to at least double the passanger traffic between India and the United States, which is currently pegged at around two million per annum. In another significant agreement Air India and other carriers will be allowed to have additional ports of call other than existing ones like Chicago, Los Angeles, New York and Newark (New Jersey). Similarly, American carriers will also be able to have direct operations to additional cities in India. Currently, Indian carriers operate 28 flights a week to the US, which has 14 flights. The new accord also seeks to remove the earlier restriction of code-share rights to any five points in the respective territories of both countries.
- April 14, 2005

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