In September 2022, United Airlines and Emirates Airline announced plans to launch a partnership. While the execution left a bit to be desired (especially with mileage earning and redemption reciprocity), symbolically this was major, given the bad blood that previously existed between US and Gulf carriers. Well, there’s an update to this partnership, and it’s…
Continue reading: India Blocks Emirates & United Codeshare Deal
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Just a point of clarification. You say that the current bilateral agreement limits the capacity of Emirates and Etihad. That is not accurate. Etihad (and other Abu Dhabi designated carriers) have some dormant rights still. Furthermore, Indian carriers are also maxed out on capacity to Dubai. Finally, Indian carriers now have a significantly larger market share of O&D traffic between India-UAE than the UAE carriers do. The market has changed significantly in the last few years and the issue is less about protecting the Indian carriers than gaining more market access for them on reciprocal basis.
This probably increases the odds that the US DOT bans all flights to or from the US from using Russian airspace, which will pretty much end Air India's flights to most of the USA (especially SFO and ORD), or make them uneconomical.
Ironically, United would probably prefer to partner more closely with Air India, its fellow Star Alliance member. But AI's domestic network is garbage and IndiGo totally dominates the Indian domestic market. Fingers crossed that the new Tata ownership can turn AI around.
Didn’t know Sean was versed in Hindi. Anymore surprises that I should know off?
It'll probably have to partner with AI anyways, given UK is expected to merge with them
Would be really interesting to see the political ramifications from such a ban, the situation regarding AI173 is also pointing towards one...
Sean is of Indian origin, wouldn’t be surprised if if knows other Indian languages besides Hindi.
Haha. Yep, I'm fluent enough in Hindi to even do TV interviews although I'm more comfortable in English obviously.
Us airlines generally cannot codeshare on flights operated by foreign carriers that transit embargoed or banned airspace - so it is possible that codesharing w/ AI couldn't happen even if UA wanted it other than to NYC - which accomplishes nothing since UA can fly India to EWR.
The point of the EK/UA agreement is to weaken AI's position in the market - UA just needed to find a partner that has Open Skies. Strangely, the LH Group flies multiple fights per day to India and probably could add more but UA is more interested in a Middle East airline...?
I was moreover referring to codeshares in the domestic Indian market rather than direct US-India routes, given the lack of competition right now. Do have to agree about the EK agreement tho, AC actually has a codeshare agreement with LH Group for flights to India, and given UA and EK aren't even allowed to cooperate on that front, UA may end up signing a similar agreement with LH Group instead
This is bad for North American NRIs especially Canadian passengers who shell out arm and a leg for flights to India
Just interesting, about 25 years ago, Emirates was a very small airline and United handled their ground operations at LHR. So there is some relationships.
(It also got me as UA 1K a C to F upgrade as C was oversold)
Why and how exactly? Oh it must be your lack of understanding of global politics and positioning.
That is true that the current bilateral agreement limits the capacity (number of seats) that Emirates and Etihad can operate to India. Emirates has deployed all their allocated seats but Etihad has not deployed all of their seats which is why airlines based in Abu Dhabi are allowed to increase or launch new flights to India while those in Dubai cannot do so.
Logical decision. Mystery how india let its whole aviation industry be high jacked by middle Eastern carriers.
@Tiger - my point was that India is not unilaterally imposing restrictions. The limits apply to both sides by mutual agreement and the Indian side wants more access to Dubai as well, but that has not been forthcoming. India is not going to hand over additional rights unilaterally unless the interests of its own carriers are addressed as well.
There's nothing at all preventing UA from publishing fares, just for example BNA-DEL and writing the fare rules BNA-EWR-DXB any UA flight / DXB-DEL any EK flight. It doesn't need to be a UA code to sell as a UA fare or on UA ticket stock.
They could write every single fare to India like that if they wanted to force either UA metal to India or UA/EK metal to DXB and EK code and EK metal to India.
The logical decision for the US would be to ban all flights that over fly Russian airspace
If the DXB to India leg is on EK code, it is no longer "Fly America" eligible.
But sure, you can always sell an interline/SPA even without a signed strategic partnership.
If bilaterals between US and India as well as between India and UAE allow third party codeshare, then India cannot block codeshare agreement between United and Emirates. The most probable reason for blocking such an arrangement could be absence of third party codeshare clause in one or both the bilaterals
CO also had a codeshare relationship with EK@LGW through to the early '00s as well, so there's also that inherited legacy.
I have a flight coming up from Mumbai to Newark via Dubai, on Emirates and United on a United ticket. Can you help me understand if it will impact me (cancelations or otherwise)?
@Sean, what's your favorite Hindi word? Mine starts with the writer of this blog's first name.
You've been posting this an awful lot, albeit under different aliases. Wonder what's your agenda. It's obvious that it has nothing to do with the topic of this article.
Do you think successive US governments have been fools or that India is a US lackey? How will this stupidity benefit India exactly? Or do you think India is a US lackey like your European "partners" that will shoot itself in the foot for your benefit? It's amazing that there are still Americans who hold such an ignorant and outdated understanding of India.
Please attach a copy of both flight coupons or E ticket with ticket no
I will give my reply thanks