CCI Clears Air India's Acquisition Of AirAsia India Stake, Helping Merger
At present, the Tata group owns and operates four airlines - Air India, Air India Express, AirAsia India, and Vistara. Air India and Vistara operate on both domestic and international routes
Air India and AirAsia have a combined market share of 13 per cent in India
The Competition Commission of India approved Air India’s proposed acquisition of Tata group’s entire 83.67 per cent stake in AirAsia India. The approval gives a boost to the group’s plans of merging the two airlines.
At present, the Tata group owns and operates four airlines — Air India, Air India Express, AirAsia India, and Vistara. Air India and Vistara operate on both domestic and international routes. AirAsia India does not fly abroad, while Air India Express operates solely on international routes.
Air India and AirAsia have a combined market share of 13 per cent in India. While the group plans to merge AirAsia India with Air India Express (which is an Air India subsidiary), it has not taken a decision on bringing Vistara into its fold.
“Air India will be our flagship airline company…I do not want to comment on Vistara now, that will be taken care of at the right time. As of now we have not taken any decision on whether we want to have a single airline or two airlines,” Tata Sons Chairperson N Chandrasekaran said earlier this week.
A source said Air India’s acquisition of 83.67 per cent stake can take place upon receiving relevant approval from the civil aviation ministry. The Tata group is also expected to purchase the remaining 16.33 per cent stake from its Malaysian partner AirAsia Berhad after the ministry’s approval.
“The group has begun work on business integration and that is expected to crystalise in the next few months. It will also have to decide on branding. The group is also discussing a code share agreement between AirAsia India and Air India, which would allow cross-selling of tickets. Fleet expansion is also being worked upon. The actual merger of two airlines could take up to a year as it would also require from the National Company Law Tribunal,” he said.
Dear Reader,
Business Standard has always strived hard to provide up-to-date information and commentary on developments that are of interest to you and have wider political and economic implications for the country and the world. Your encouragement and constant feedback on how to improve our offering have only made our resolve and commitment to these ideals stronger. Even during these difficult times arising out of Covid-19, we continue to remain committed to keeping you informed and updated with credible news, authoritative views and incisive commentary on topical issues of relevance.
We, however, have a request.
As we battle the economic impact of the pandemic, we need your support even more, so that we can continue to offer you more quality content. Our subscription model has seen an encouraging response from many of you, who have subscribed to our online content. More subscription to our online content can only help us achieve the goals of offering you even better and more relevant content. We believe in free, fair and credible journalism. Your support through more subscriptions can help us practise the journalism to which we are committed.
Support quality journalism and subscribe to Business Standard.
Digital Editor
First Published: Tue, June 14 2022. 22:51 IST
The Battle For Depositors: US Lenders Ramp Up Efforts Amidst Rate Uncertainty
In the competitive landscape of the US banking sector, retaining depositors is paramount for lenders seeking to maintain... Read more
Beyond Capital: Unveiling The Complexities Of Bank Failure Prediction
In the realm of banking, the ability to predict and prevent failures is paramount for financial stability and consumer c... Read more
Central Banks And The Economic Horizon: Steering Through Uncertaintie
In the evolving landscape of global financial markets, the strategic role of central banks has come under intense scruti... Read more
Transforming Financial Operations With Robotic Process Automation
Author: Ricardo Goulart ... Read more
The Role Of Machine Learning In Fraud Detection
Author: Gerardine Lucero  ... Read more
Principles Of Islamic Banking And Finance
When it comes to banking, a significant new contender has entered the ring. The principles of Islamic banking and financ... Read more