AirAsia India ready to fly after securing AOC, says Kamarudin

                  An Airbus A340 AirAsia X passenger jet arrives on its inaugural flight from Kuala Lumpur to Paris Orly Airport, in this February 14, 2011 Reuters file photo. KUALA LUMPUR, March 14 — AirAsia India is on track to secure the Indian air operator certificate (AOC) from the local regulators as soon as possible, to realise its aim of a mid-2013 launch.

Co-Founder and Deputy Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia Group, Datuk Kamarudin Meranun said AirAsia India on its part was ready to operate as soon as all the procedural problems were cleared by the Indian regulators.

"The ball is now in their (Indian authorities') court," he told reporters after launching the flagship Tune Store at Plaza Low Yat, here today.

A whole range of products and services under the realm of Tune Group of Companies and AirAsia are now available via a one-stop centre with the opening of the Tune Store lifestyle outlet.

An initiative by Tune Talk, the mobile service provider arm of the Tune Group, Tune Store brings together product and service offerings as well as merchandise of AirAsia, Tune Talk, Tune Hotels, Tune Money, Tune Insurance, Caterham F1 Team and Queens Park Rangers Football Team, AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, AirAsia Megastore and AirAsia RedTix.

Kamarudin said AirAsia had yet to receive any returned applications, which meant that the process is on-going without hurdles. He added that the negotiations on the setting up of AirAsia India was on-going and so far, everything seemed to be fine.

"There were many issues but I believe it have been resolved," he said.

Last week, AirAsia was given the nod by the Foreign Investment Promotion Board to invest in India, as a result of the Indian government's decision last year, to relax the rules to allow for foreign ownership of up to 49 per cent for existing airlines as some of its airlines were bleeding red.

AirAsia will hold a 49 per cent stake in AirAsia India, Tata Sons holds 30 per cent while property tycoon Arun Bhatia will own the remaining 21 per cent.

Tata Sons controls Tata, one of India's biggest industrial conglomerates. AirAsia India's base will be in Chennai, and the launch is expected to be in the middle of this year.

On Tuesday, India's Planning Commission announced that inter-ministerial differences would be sorted out to pave the way for Tata Sons to set up an airline with AirAsia. — Bernama

Source themalaysianinsider