Air Transport

India has approved the renewal of a bilateral air services agreement with Finland.

Open skies for all cargo services has been agreed, and designated airlines can now operate code share services "to any to points in the territory to be specified later", says India's Ministry of Civil Aviation.

As per a memorandum of understanding signed in 2006, Finnish carriers can operate seven flights each to Mumbai, Delhi, and Chennai using any type of aircraft. This is subject to the condition that they must first operate seven frequencies to one of the airports.

India, however, has granted permission for Finnish carriers to operate six services a week on the Helsinki-Delhi route, and four on the Helsinki-Mumbai route.

Indian carriers can operate 14 frequencies a week to Helsinki and one other "point of call in Finland to be specified by the Indian side", says the ministry.

Indian carriers operate no services to Finland, according to Innovata. Finnair operates five services a week on the Helsinki-Delhi route using Airbus A330-300 aircraft.