AirAsia India may begin services after DGCA inspection

NEW DELHI: AirAsia India, the proposed low-cost carrier of the tripartite joint venture between AirAsia Berhad, Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace owned by Arun Bhatia, is inching closer to beginning operations after the country’s aviation regulator DGCA completed the aircraft inspections and conducted ‘proving flights’ of AirAsia India’s Airbus A320. This was the last remaining inspection before the DGCA could grant an air operator’s permit to AirAsia India.

A senior official of the DGCA told ET that initial reaction from the regulator’s officials was that tests went off smoothly and the regulator would be in a position to grant permit next week, while refraining from giving a precise date. On Thursday afternoon, AirAsia India’s chief executive officer Mittu Chandilya tweeted pictures of aircraft inspections and an aircraft parked in Bangalore and Cochin as part of the proving flight: