Jet Airways is pushing hard in favour of the Abu Dhabi government's demand to treble the number of seats flown between the two countries to over 40,000 per week from 13,300 at present. 

According to a report in ET, Abu Dhabi has asked for a huge revision in the number of seats used by airlines to fly between the two countries and the negotiations with the Indian government will take place next week in the Emirate. 

The ministry of civil aviation, therefore, is preparing an estimate on how many more seats between the two regions would be in the country's interest, for which they sought the views and requirements of domestic airlines. 

While Air India asked for revising up the seats by 2,500 per week, IndiGo and SpiceJet asked for enhancing the quota by 4,000-5,000 seats per week. "However, Jet Airways has asked for revision by a whopping 42,000 seats per week over and above the existing seats, a government official told ET. 

Meanwhile, the aviation ministry officials declined to divulge the final number of seats that India would like to revise up between the two countries and said it has nothing to do with the Jet-Etihad deal. 

"Indian carriers together are flying 10,000 seats per week to Abu Dhabi while their airline (Etihad) is using 12,000 to India. So, keeping the expansion plans of Indian airlines in mind, a revision of seats is required and has nothing to do with the deal," a ministry official said. 

But Indian carriers think that Jet Airways' demand is actually a backhanded way to give more market access to Etihad, on the lines of Dubai-based Emirates. 

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