NEW DELHI: In a blow to the government’s plan to sell off Air India, IndiGo on Thursday said it will not be bidding for the Maharaja under the current terms of transaction spelt out last week. Last June when NDA decided to divest in Air India, the low cost carrier (LCC) was the first to show interest in the international flights of AI and AI Express. But the entire airline operations of AI, AI Express and AI-SATS have been put on the block for one entity which is beyond what the budget carrier was looking for.
In a candid statement, IndiGo president Aditya Ghosh said: “From day one, IndiGo has expressed its interest primarily in the acquisition of AI’s international operations and AI Express. However, that option is not available under the government’s current divestiture plans for AI. Also, as we have communicated before, we do not believe that we have the capability to take on the task of acquiring and successfully turning around all of AI’s airline operations.”
Till now, only IndiGo and Tata-Singapore Airlines (SIA) JV Vistara have officially expressed interest in AI while others like Jet and Qatar Airways are learnt to be evaluating the situation. IndiGo’s latest stand will, however, not affect its plans to start international medium and long flights as the airline promoters had “last year itself made it clear they will do so “with or without” AI.
Source : https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/indigo-says-no-to-air-india-on-current-sale-terms/articleshow/63631518.cms