AirAsia asks India to provide low cost terminals
20 Apr 2011
New Delhi: In a bid to save on airport charges pioneering low-cost carrier, Malaysia's AirAsia, has requested Indian aviation authorities to allow it to operate from Delhi's old Terminal -1D. The request follows hard on the heels of a similar request from domestic low-cost operators like IndiGo and SpiceJet.
They, too, have asked aviation authorities to allow them to operate international operations from T1-D.
Currently, AirAsia, operates to seven destinations in India.
A senior AirAsia official pointed out that India had the highest airport charges in the world after Vietnam, which acted as a deterrent for low cost players. He said India should provide for a low cost terminal for LCCs.
The official said AirAsia was looking forward to increasing the number of destinations it served in India, and also increasing its load factor to over 90 per cent. It is currently operating at load factors of around 80 per cent.
Last year AirAsia withdrew its flight from Hyderabad after a sudden hike in user development fees by the operator.