TBM Staff - Mumbai With AirAsia India getting close to obtaining international flying rights, conglomerate Tata Sons, will in the near future, have four airlines with permits for overseas operations. At present, only Vistara operates on international routes.
The development assumes significance since Tata Sons’ subsidiary Talace is expected to soon acquire Air India and Air India Express after conclusion of the share purchase agreement (SPA) with the Centre.
Both Air India and Air India Express operate international flights. Recently, AirAsia India, in which Tatas own a majority stake, received security clearance to operate international flights, said industry insiders.
Nevertheless, many procedures with the country’s Civil Aviation Ministry and the regulator still remain to be fulfilled before the airline commences international operations.
These procedures include obtaining permissions for scheduling, slotting, and training. According to industry insiders, these steps might take anywhere up to 2-6 months to fulfil.
However, they pointed out that even after obtaining all the permissions, the airline might not fly abroad in the near future, due to the ongoing pandemic.
The Bengaluru-headquartered airline is a joint venture between Tata Sons and AirAsia Investment Ltd. Commencing operations on June 12, 2014, it flies over 240 direct and connecting routes across India with a fleet of 28 aircraft. (Source FPJ)
