AirAsia India obtains international permit

AirAsia India (I5, Bangalore Int’l) has obtained international flying rights and is now aiming to launch a service between Kochi Int’l and Dubai Int’l as its first venture overseas, sources have told The Times of India newspaper.

The majority Tata Sons-owned budget carrier has reportedly informed the authorities at Kochi airport that it will initially operate the route as a needs-based non-scheduled cargo service but has not yet provided any dates or schedules.

Perishable cargo such as fresh fruits and vegetables constitute the majority of exports from Kochi, a port city in India’s coastal state of Kerala, and passenger flights can ferry only limited quantities of this cargo.

The budget carrier, in which Capital A (formerly AirAsia Group) still maintains a 16.33% stake (the Malaysian group has signalled it will exit the Indian business by March), currently operates 45 routes within India with an all-leased fleet of 33 aircraft (twenty-eight A320-200s and five A320-200Ns), the ch-aviation fleets advanced and ch-aviation capacities modules show. It also has eight A321-200NX on order. No freighters are currently among the AirAsia India fleet.

AirAsia India commenced flight operations in June 2014 and was reported last October to be closing in on obtaining international flying rights. If it has done so, it means that its conglomerate parent Tata Sons now has not one but four airlines with permits for overseas operations, with AirAsia India and recently acquired Air India and Air India Express joining Vistara.