Tata-SIA JV likely to start flights by September

SINGAPORE - The Tata-Singapore Airlines (SIA) joint venture is expected to receive air operators' permit (AOP) next month and take to the skies by September, according to media reports out of India.

"We expect to get the AOP by July, and the planes (Airbus A320s) will start coming from August," The Indian Express daily quoted a company official as saying in an article yesterday. "In the first year of operations, we will have five aircraft, increasing it to 20 over the first four years."

The airline, which is leasing these planes from BOC Aviation, is expected to announce a brand name in early August.

SIA has a 49 per cent stake in the joint venture, while Tata has a 51 per cent share.

The report also said that chief executive Phee Teik Yeoh and commercial head Toh Giam Ming have joined the joint venture as senior management from SIA while chief financial officer Niyat Baru is from the Tata group of companies.

The Tata-SIA board includes chairman Prasad Menon and SIA's executive vice-president (commercial), Mak Swee Wah.

Meanwhile, Tata has set up another joint venture with budget carrier AirAsia called AirAsia India, which was launched earlier this month.

Both SIA and AirAsia entered the populous nation after changes were made to regulations, enabling overseas carriers to invest up to 49 per cent in an Indian airline.

This article was first published on June 21, 2014.
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