AirAsia India plans Delhi flights from February

CEO Mittu Chandilya says airline evaluating plans but yet to take final decision

AirAsia India plans to start services from Delhi from February next year, aviation sources have said.

Chief Executive Officer Mittu Chandilya said the airline was evaluating plans but was yet to take a final decision. Sources said AirAsia might park two Airbus A320 planes in Delhi and was exploring flights between Delhi-Bengaluru and Delhi-Goa. Chandilya refused to share details on potential routes.

AirAsia will follow Vistara at Delhi airport. Vistara  begins its service from January 9, linking Delhi with Mumbai and Ahmedabad.

AirAsia India launched service in June and has two Airbus A320 planes. It inducted its third aircraft earlier this month and another one is expected to join next week or early January. It plans to induct 8-10 planes next year.

AirAsia started its domestic operations with a Bangalore-Goa flight and flies to Chennai, Kochi, Chadigarh, Jaipur and Pune.  The airline had initially said it will not fly to Delhi and Mumbai because of high airport charges but now has changed its plan.  

"If AirAsia is to be an effective national carrier it will have to have a hub in North India too," said an aviation source.

Delhi airport  has three runways, which can simultaneously handle 78 aircraft movement each hour. It is also the busiest airport in the country with about 800 movements daily.