AirAsia today said the low-cost airline group is yet to appoint CEO for its India foray, more than a month after AirAsia Group Chief Tony Fernandes tweeted that he had selected a person for the top job.
Meanwhile, it is also learnt that the Malaysian carrier has not yet applied for the flying licence to the sector regulator, even though it has already received the FIPB approval.
“AirAsia India has not appointed a CEO,” AirAsia spokesperson said in an e-mail statement to PTI from Airline’s headquarters in Sepang, Malaysia.
The e-mail came in response to a PTI query seeking confirmation of the name of CEO doing rounds in the industry.
However, on March 5, Fernandes had said, “I have selected the CEO for AirAsia India. A very smart boy from the South, Madras. An amazing CV...will impress all.”
He had not identified the person at that time.
Air Asia, which is the largest low-cost airline in Asia has formed a joint venture with Tata Sons and Telestra Tradeplace of Arun Bhatia in a 49:30:21 holding to launch a low-cost carrier in the domestic market.
The venture received a formal approval from the Foreign Investment Promotion Board on April 4 to set up the company in the country.
“They have not yet approached us for obtaining flying licence for their proposed airline,” highly-placed sources in Directorate General of Civil Aviation told PTI.