AirAsia to ask for Indian runway extensions
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AirAsia will ask Indian authorities to extend runways at smaller airports to accommodate its fleet of Airbus A320s.
Malaysia’s Bernama news agency reported AirAsia’s group CEO, Tony Fernandes, as saying that he planned to use his fleet of A320s for the new Chennai-based subsidiary, AirAsia India, and that some airports in second and third tier Indian cities may need work to accept the jet aircraft.
“It will be the A320 and we will get the airports to extend the runways,” Fernandes told reporters in New Delhi, when asked if AirAisa India would consider using smaller planes in India. “It may cost a little bit more money to build a slightly longer runway, but there is a benefit in doing (this).”
Fernandes has been on a multi-city tour of India, visiting local authorities in Chennai, Kochi, Mumbai and Delhi, as AirAsia prepares to launch is Indian joint venture.
AirAsia Group currently has outstanding orders for more than 350 new A320s, and its Indian unit will play a major role in utilising these aircraft. Fernandes was also quoted saying that he is “not ordering” any more aircraft.
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