Monday, February 7 2005 19:23 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Government today (Feb 7, 2005) allowed privately-owned Jet Airways and Air Sahara to fly to ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) countries and raised the seat capacity of Indian Airlines and Air India to these destinations.

Official sources said that Jet Airways and Air Sahara will now be allowed to fly Kuala Lumpur and Singapore while there were not enough routes left in Thailand for the private airlines to use.

The sources said that Jet Airways and Air Sahara had been allowed to mount a flight each from Chennai to Kuala Lumpur.

Jet Airways was also cleared to fly from Mumbai to Singapore and Air Sahara was allowed to fly between Delhi and Singapore, the sources said.

There were no routes left for private airlines to fly to Thailand as Indian Airlines and Air India had explored all the routes to that country, the sources said.

Hong Kong has not amended the bilateral agreement to accommodate the private airlines, the sources said adding that Indian Airlines and Air India will continue to operate to this destination exclusively.

The sources said Indian Airlines and Air India had sought enhancement of seats to the ASEAN countries during the coming summer, which was also agreed to.

Air India will now have a share of 603 seats while Indian Airlines will have 435 seats for Singapore, 1206 and 2030 for Malaysia and 1608 and 2465 for Thailand respectively, the sources said.

The enhanced seat sharing arrangement would be for the summer season only after which the situation would be reviewed, they added.