New Delhi: Malaysian budget carrier, AirAsia’s joint venture with the Tatas and Telstra group for a domestic airline moved another step closer to take-off following approval from the government on Tuesday. AirAsia’s proposal, cleared by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board (FIPB) on March 6, was given a formal go-ahead on Tuesday, according to an official statement issued by the Finance Ministry which put the investment at Rs.80.89 crore.
The venture will now need operational clearances such as the Air Operator’s Permit from the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Talking to journalists here, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said the AirAsia JV had not yet submitted any application to the Aviation Ministry. “There were some concerns and procedural issues with regard to the proposed airline. We will look into it quickly. But all that will depend on how fast they provide us the information regarding safety, aircraft, pilots and airworthiness of aircraft. Any clearance will depend on how fast they give all this information, which will be required by the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA),” he said.
26/03/13 The Hindu
