AirAsia, which plans to launch a budget airline in India later this year, will aggressively expand its fleet and is looking to add at least 10 planes a year, Chief Executive Tony Fernandes told reporters in Mumbai on Monday.
Fernandes said AirAsia would want to offer the lowest possible fares in its Indian operations.
“Airasia India success depends on low fares and low-cost structure. We have done it for 11 years. India is no different,” Fernandes said, adding “Indian airlines definitely don’t want us to succeed but we will fight back and break conventional wisdom”.
AirAsia, the largest budget carrier in Asia, plans to launch a regional airline in India with an initial investment of Rs 80 crore to cash in on rising demand for domestic air travel among the country’s rapidly expanding middle class.
“Air Asia India already has its planes in place. We have ten pilots and 16 cabin crew for India ops already. We have already hired 50 people in India and plan on doubling this headcount by the end of the year”, said Fernandes adding that the airline requires 56 to 57 percent occupancy to break even in India.
01/07/13 Sunainaa Chadha/First Post
To Read the News in full at Source, Click the Headline
Fernandes said AirAsia would want to offer the lowest possible fares in its Indian operations.
“Airasia India success depends on low fares and low-cost structure. We have done it for 11 years. India is no different,” Fernandes said, adding “Indian airlines definitely don’t want us to succeed but we will fight back and break conventional wisdom”.
AirAsia, the largest budget carrier in Asia, plans to launch a regional airline in India with an initial investment of Rs 80 crore to cash in on rising demand for domestic air travel among the country’s rapidly expanding middle class.
“Air Asia India already has its planes in place. We have ten pilots and 16 cabin crew for India ops already. We have already hired 50 people in India and plan on doubling this headcount by the end of the year”, said Fernandes adding that the airline requires 56 to 57 percent occupancy to break even in India.
01/07/13 Sunainaa Chadha/First Post
