Air India and Air Asia have now entered into the IROPS (Irregular Operations) arrangement. This will allow the two airlines to carry each other’s passengers in case of flight delays. But the transport of passengers will be based on the basis of availability which the airport manager of the airline will be eligible to determine. Both Air India and Air Asia are under Tata Group. This arrangement will help in making air travel smoother and faster.
AirAsia India’s New Inflight Menu Features Gourmet Meals Curated By MasterChef Contestant
Flying AirAsia? You will now get to relish the most exclusive range of hot meals with AirAsia India’s new in-flight dining brand and menu, ‘Gourmair’. What’s more, you can choose from 21 regional and international favourites and also pre-book your Gourmair meals on their official website up to 12 hours before their flight. The new menu includes MasterChef specials, all-day breakfast, finest regional flavours, healthy and diabetic options, seasonal fruits, lite bites, delectable desserts, and more!
The aviation sector in India had faced a major blow during the coronavirus lockdown. There had been headlines that the biggest budget airline of Asia, AirAsia, might leave the Indian sky due to acute financial crisis. Now the Malaysian airline is selling 32.7% stake of its India venture to Tata Sons Ltd. for nearly $38 million ( ₹2,790,649,510). Tata Sons already owns 51% of the India venture of AirAsia. Recently, the career has entered into an agreement with Tata. Read on to know more.
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AirAsia Had Faced Stiff Competition In The Indian Market
The coronavirus lockdown has left the travel and hospitality industry cash-strapped. Many top airlines, including the world’s second-oldest airline ‘Avianca’, have filed for bankruptcy due to COVID-19. The Malaysian airline, AirAsia had also been facing huge losses amid the pandemic. Its Japanese arm has already filed for bankruptcy. Its Indian wing too was coping with the financial challenges. The airline is selling 32.7% stake of AirAsia India Ltd. to Tata Sons Ltd. for around a whopping $38 million. According to a Bloomberg report, Mark D. Martin, chief executive officer of Martin Consulting has said, “The AirAsia Brand in India, unlike AirAsia Operations in Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines, wasn’t able to capture significant market share and repeatedly suffered from constant blows from the competition.” He added, “Tata’s strategic takeover should bring in the much-needed stability.”
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The Airline’s Debts Had Exceeded Its Assets
AirAsia had recorded a quarterly loss of more than $187 million ( ₹14,01,40,60,500) for the first three months of 2020. In an audit opinion to the Kuala Lumpur stock exchange, Ernst & Young spoke about the future bleak of AirAsia. It also added that before the pandemic, at the end of 2019, AirAsia’s debts had exceeded its assets by nearly $430 million ( ₹ 32,22,48,45,000). The survival of the low-cost airline was under significant doubt. Now, the airline is expanding its relationship with the Tata Group to stay afloat and carry forward the business. These are indeed tough times, not only for the aviation industry but for the entire world. On that note, here’s a peek into the new norms of flying with Vistara COO, Mr. Vinod Kannan: