AirAsia India plans to begin international operations from next year

Budget passenger carrier AirAsia India on Thursday said that it plans to operate international flights from next year.

According to the airline`s Chief Executive Officer Amar Abrol, the company has constituted a special project team which has been mandated to get its operations ready for international flights either from summer 2018 or autumn next year.

Besides, the budget passenger carrier plans to increase its fleet size to 14 aircraft from the current eight by the end of 2017. 

In addition, the airline is expected to augment its fleet by another six aircraft by next year.

Last year in June, the government adopted the National Civil Aviation Policy (NCAP) which scrapped the 5/20 norm -- that is an airline must have five years of domestic flying and a fleet of 20 aircraft to qualify to fly abroad. 

The NCAP`s current provision has done away with the first five-year wait, but airlines will need 20 aircraft or fly 20 per cent of their total capacity on domestic routes first and then it will be allowed to operate international flights.

AirAsia India is a joint venture between Tata Sons and AirAsia. The airline commenced operations on June 12, 2014 and currently flies to Bengaluru, Kochi, Goa, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Pune, New Delhi, Guwahati, Imphal, Vizag, Hyderabad, Srinagar and Bagdogra with a fleet of eight Airbus A320 aircraft.