DGCA examining AirAsia India's application for flying permit

Aviation regulator DGCA has begun examining start-up carrier AirAsia India's application for a flying permit after rejecting the objections it received from various quarters, including BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation had set up a three-member committee to examine the objections raised against the proposal to grant Air Operators Permit (AOP) or flying licence to the no-frill airline launched by Malaysian carrier AirAsia, Tata Sons and Telstra Tradeplace.

The Committee, after going through the objections and their legal aspects, concluded that it found "no reasons to put on hold the processing of the application of M/s Air Asia (India) Pvt Ltd for issuance of Air Operator Permit (Sked), based on the above".

In an order, DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar said "in view of the above, it is decided to consider the application of M/s. Air Asia (India) Pvt Ltd, for issuance of Air Operator's Permit subject to compliance of various requirements" under the law and procedures.

Without giving any time-frame of when the airline would get the permit, official sources said the process of examining AirAsia India's application has since been started.

The Committee had come to its conclusion on the basis of various issues, including Delhi High Court's refusal to grant an interim stay and dismissal of Swamy's application.

It had also held that in view of the rapid growth of the civil aviation sector, there was "a strong need" to facilitate air traffic by encouraging the existing airlines as well as allowing new entrants so that Indian travellers could avail optimum availability of air traffic services at reasonably affordable tariffs.

Apart from Swamy, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) and IndiGo's parent company Inter Globe Aviation Ltd were among those who had filed their objections before the DGCA, which had sought feedback from the general public and affected parties on providing an AOP to AirAsia India.

This was the first time the regulator had invoked the rule seeking objections from the public before granting a flying licence.

In April last year, the Foreign Investment Promotion Board had approved the USD 30-million deal to launch AirAsia India. It received a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the Civil Aviation Ministry last year.

AirAsia India was also granted in-principle approval for import of 10 Airbus A-320-200 aircraft in December last year.