MLondon, it's Destination Singapore for private sector carriers Jet Airways and Air Sahara. The civil aviation ministry has worked out a detailed plan to allow these two carriers to fly to Singapore.

Indian Airlines is also likely to get additional entitlements to fly to Singapore, sources added.

The civil aviation ministry has already informed the authorities in Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Honk Kong that Jet and Sahara are being added to the list of designated carriers.

Public sector players Air India and Indian Airlines are the only Indian carriers to operate to these South-east Asian destinations.

The sources said Air India Express, the low-cost airline planned by A-I, may also get entitlements to operate flights to South-East Asian destinations.

There is adequate availability of entitlement to distribute between Jet and Sahara after meeting the expansion needs of A-I and IA, sources said.

It is understood that officials will meet representatives of the two public sector carriers to decide on the entitlements that need to be granted for launching flights during summer.

Since India has an 'open skies' agreement with Asean, the private sector carriers will be allocated more landing rights than in the case of London.

Air Sahara has demanded daily flights from Delhi and Hyderabad to Singapore. Jet Airways has also sought similar entitlements from key gateways.

As of now, IA has connections to Singapore from various centres including Chennai and Kolkata. A-I operates flights from Mumbai to Singapore.

The entitlements allocated to IA and A-I will be in line with the long-term plans for synergy between the two airlines, the sources added.

The government recently allocated seven flights a week to Jet Airways for connections to London while Air Sahara has been offered two flights a week.

It is understood that officials of Air Sahara met civil aviation minister Praful Patel and senior officials of the ministry on Thursday to seek more frequencies so that they can operate daily services on the London-Delhi sector.

While Jet Airways and Air Sahara are trying to lease wide-bodied aircraft for launching services to London, they can operate flights to South-East Asian destinations with Boeing B737s which they already deploy on routes within the country.

Indian Airlines is also working on dry lease on wide-bodied aircraft as the ministry might allow it to operate flights to London after the summer of '05. All the airlines based in India are chasing long-range aircraft like Boeing B777, Airbus A340 and Boeing B747.

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