AirAsia India permit by 2nd week of April

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday allowed AirAsia India to bring in its ferry flight (without passengers) to India for completing the mandatory route familiarisation process before it is granted the flying permit.

A top DGCA official told Mail Today that AirAsia India will fly in its brand new, narrow-bodied Airbus A320 from Airbus's manufacturing plant at Toulouse in France in next few days. The move has put to rest the controversy over AirAsia's operations in India especially after domestic carriers lobbied to scuttle its entry. Bharatiya Janata Party leader Subramanian Swamy had moved the court to challenge the clearance granted to the airline.

"There is no stopping now at this stage.

The mandatory route familiarisation process for AirAsia India is the only requirement left. The airline crew will have to fly with an inspection team of DGCA for test flights to destinations which they would fly in India," said the DGCA official.

The official added that the process would take around a week or ten days and the airline would be given the flying permit latest by second or third week of April. The carrier can start its operations in thereafter, the official added.

AirAsia India is a joint venture between Air Asia Bhd (49 per cent), Tata Sons (30 per cent) and Telestra Tradeplace (21 per cent). The airline will target first-time travellers and have relatively short-haul flights of 60-90 minutes from point- to- point.

Compared to the Tatas' other aviation venture, with Singapore Airlines (SIA), AirAsia India will operate point- to- point flights mainly between tier- II cities especially in central and southern Indian.

AirAsia India got approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board last April for the $ 30- million (Rs 182 crore) deal.

The carrier was also granted in-principle approval to import 10 A- 320- 200s in December 2013. It plans to start operations with three planes. AirAsia's entry is likely to intensify competition among domestic airlines leading to fare cuts, and the momentum would gain further when the Tata- SIA venture starts operations later this year.

Courtesy: Mail Today