NEW DELHI, Sept 4 – AirAsia India, set to take to the skies by year-end, is eyeing either Bhopal or Indore in Madhya Pradesh to set up a hub.
The state’s name, literally means “central province,” amid its location in the “geographic heart” of the country can serve as a perfect location for the airline to spread its wings in the country of 1.2 billion people.
Local media reported that its Chief Executive Officer, Mittu Chandilya, met Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, yesterday to discuss the modalities to establish a hub in one of the two cities.
Besides strategic location, the move would also boost the state’s tourism potential by providing air connectivity to passengers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia, South Korea and Australia, the report quoted an official source as saying.
AirAsia Group Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes in his recent visit to India had announced that there was potential to have many bases in India.
“We can have many bases, we can be in Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Cochin (Kerala) and in Bangalore (Karnataka) but our headquarters will be in Chennai,” he had said.
AirAsia India is a 49:30:21 per cent joint venture between AirAsia, Tata Group and Telestra Tradeplace Pvt Ltd.
– BERNAMA
