DGCA to send team to Malaysia to inspect AirAsia facilities

Ahead of granting flying permit to AirAsia India, aviation regulator DGCA is sending a team of its officers to Malaysia next week to inspect and certify facilities where the start-up carrier is training its cockpit and cabin crew.

AirAsia India, which is using the training facilities of its parent airline AirAsia in Malaysia, plans to set up similar facilities in India in the coming years, airline sources said.

However before these training facilities come up in India, the first few batches of AirAsia India crew, comprising little over 100 personnel, are undergoing training in Malaysia which would be inspected by the officials of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, they said.

The airline is hopeful of receiving the air operator's permit (or the flying license) by January end, with officials saying work was going on in full-swing in that direction.

The DGCA team is likely to reach Kuala Lumpur next week, official sources said, adding once these training facilities are certified, the approvals could be reviewed in the next one or two years.

The officials said the no-frill carrier, a joint venture of AirAsia, Tatas and Telstra Tradeplace, have tailored the training curriculum to meet Indian aviation requirements.

In February, the three companies had announced signing of an agreement to launch an Indian no-frill carrier.

On September 20, AirAsia India got the No Objection Certificate from the Civil Aviation Ministry to start airline operations in India after which it applied to the aviation regulator for a permit.

It plans to operate a fleet of Airbus A320-200 aircraft, initially with 4-5 planes and quickly expand it to ten in a year.

Meanwhile, the second aviation venture of the Tatas -- a full-service carrier to be launched by it and the Singapore Airlines, has applied for the NOC to the Ministry. Tata Sons, the majority partner, and SIA would make a total initial investment of $100 million.

On September 19, Tata-SIA had announced signing a MoU and applying for Foreign Investment Promotion Board's approval to establish the new airline.

FIPB, the nodal agency that clears foreign direct investments in India, gave its nod to the proposal on October 24.