AirAsia’s proposal for starting an airline in India will not face any problems as long as all the required data are made available to the Ministry of Civil Aviation.
“I saw in the newspapers that the Chief Executive Officer’s name was not there. So asking (for) that is really helping them because they have to go through security clearance. If they reply, that will save them time later,” the Civil Aviation Minister, Ajit Singh, told newspersons here on Friday.
The airline, a three-way joint venture of AirAsia, Tata Sons and Telstra, recently approached the Ministry of Civil Aviation seeking permission to start operations.
Boeing compensation
On the issue of Boeing paying compensation to Air India for the delay in delivery and subsequent grounding of Boeing 787, the Minister confirmed that there was agreement between the aircraft manufacturer and the airline on payment of compensation. Air India has ordered 27 Boeing aircraft and has so far received six.
The delivery was delayed by over two years and within months of starting services with the Boeing 787, all six were grounded on recommendations of the US Federal Aviation Administration owing to problems with the batteries.
The FAA has since allowed the aircraft back into service and Air India, like many other global airlines, is seeking compensation for not only the delay in delivery but also the grounding.
On Kingfisher Airlines, Singh said it would only be allowed to take to the skies again after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation was satisfied that the airline could have a safe and sustainable operation.
The debt-strapped airline ceased operations on October 1 last year and its licence lapsed on December 31 last year.
ashwini.phadnis@thehindu.co.in