India, Kuwait boost airline seats

India and Kuwait have agreed to boost each other's airline seat capacity to 12,000 per week following recent air traffic rights clashes between the two countries, it was announced Sunday.

The move comes after a dispute last week that saw Kuwait set a deadline to bar Indian national carriers from flying to the Gulf state until India agreed to boost seat capacities of Kuwait Airways and Jazeera Airways to and from India, according to local reports.

"Both delegations agreed to increase capacity entitlements of each side from 8,320 to 12,000 seats per week," a statement from the Indian civil aviation ministry said.

The agreement to raise seat capacities was reached by civil aviation authorities after three days of negotiations in Kuwait City, and just hours before the deadline was set to expire on Sunday.

"Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to the Air Services Agreement which governs the civil aviation relations between India and Kuwait. Air services between the two countries would continue unhindered and without interruption," the statement added.

India has also agreed to grant Kuwaiti carriers access to three extra Indian cities - Hyderabad and Kolkata immediately, and to the southern city of Bangalore in winter 2008.

However, the increase in traffic rights and seat capacities applies only to the direct India-Kuwait market and not to and from third countries.

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