New Delhi, 7 May 2014

India has today got its seventh airline, as DGCA granted Air Asia permit today.

The airline’s chief executive office Mittu Chandilya posted a picture on his official Twitter page announcing this.

Ait Asia is the tripartite joint venture between Tata Sons, AirAsia Berhad, and Telestra Tradeplace of Arun Bhatia.

The venture will now have to get its schedule cleared by the DGCA before it can open bookings to begin commercial operations.The process could take another week or two.

The validity of the permit is still subject to a Delhi High Court decision. The High Court is hearing a public interest litigation filed by BJP leader Subramanian Swamy which claimed that the venture is a violation of the FDI guidelines for the civil aviation sector. The case will be heard by a special bench on July 11.