Officials from Qatar and the UAE have inked their final signatures on an air services agreement, which includes capacity limits on several routes, between the two Gulf states following a multiyear legal process.

Carriers covered by the agreement are each allowed 42 weekly flights in either direction between Doha and Abu Dhabi, 21 trips between Doha and Sharjah and seven trips between Doha and Ras Al-Khaimah. There are no restrictions on the number of flights between Doha and Dubai.

In the case of Sharjah and Ras Al-Khaimah, the number of allowable flights is well above current service levels.

“The existing capacity serves the requirements of the market,” Saleh Abdulla Haroon, director of the air transport and airport affairs department at the Qatar Civil Aviation Authority, told Doha News. “If there is any requirement to increase the capacity, this will be discussed between the two states (as) they aim for a fully liberal agreement in the near future.”