By IANS
New Delhi : India and Hong Kong finally arrived at an agreement on a new bilateral civil aviation pact after prolonged negotiations that at one point threatened to remain deadlocked.
The main result of the negotiations is the approval to carriers of the two sides for 27 new frequencies to each other’s country and permission to fly to a third country – called fifth freedom rights, an official statement said.
While the Indian side can operate these 27 services from any point in India, the Hong Kong carriers can operate 10 services to Delhi, six services to Mumbai and 11 services altogether to Bangalore, Chennai and Kolkata.
“Chennai was added as a new point of call during these talks for Hong Kong.”
The Indian delegation at the talks here was led by R.K. Singh, joint secretary in the ministry of civil aviation, while the Hong Kong side was led by Esmond Lee, deputy secretary for Hong Kong’s Transport and Housing Bureau.
Out of the 27 services, Indian carriers will be able to operate 14 services to West Coast of North America, including the cities of Los Angeles, San Francisco and Vancouver.
“The Hong Kong carrier can exercise beyond fifth freedom rights through India on 14 services to Europe, excluding UK.”
The two sides also entered into a liberalised code share pact to enable their carriers to fly to any point beyond their respective cities, either with their own airlines or those of a third country carrier.
“Indian carriers are already looking at serving New Zealand through code share over Hong Kong with Air New Zealand,” the statement said.