AirAsia may fly from Chennai to Bangalore, Kolkata, Kochi

As listed on Airline Network and News analysis website, whose predictions are based on potential passenger market size, distance from Chennai & competition

AirAsia may launch flights to Bangalore, Kolkata, Coimbatore, Kochi, Nagpur and Bhubaneshwar from its Chennai base, an aviation website has said. The Malaysian-based low-cost airline plans to start its India operations by the end of this year. The airline's group CEO Tony Fernandes has said the airline will link tier II and tier III cities from Chennai with 3-4 Airbus A320s in its initial launch phase. Fernandes also ruled out operations to Delhi and Mumbai because of high aeronautical tariffs.

Airline Network and News Analysis, a website which tracks route planning and network development news has evaluated AirAsia's potential network in India. AirAsia did not respond to an email query on the issue. However, an official involved in the launch of the service in India said all these routes are possible. "It is too early to say which routes AirAsia will fly and which will be the inaugural service,'' the official said.

The website's predictions are based on the potential passenger market size, distance from Chennai and competition.

"As low-cost airlines typically like to 'join-the-dots', Bangalore and Kolkata would seem to be the most likely Tier I opportunities, as AirAsia already flies to both destinations from Kuala Lumpur. Competition on the Kolkata route will be against Jet Airways, SpiceJet, Air India and IndiGo – a combined 56 weekly flights – and it will be fiercer on Bengaluru, where the same four airlines fly 101 weekly services,'' the website has said.

It also states that AirAsia could look to start new routes from Chennai. Currently there are no direct flights from Chennai to Guwahati, Lucknow, Jaipur, Srinagar, Nagpur, Bhubaneshwar and Indore. The website claims that the airline could launch flights to Nagpur and Bhubaneshwar which have connectivity with Mumbai and Delhi but do not direct have air link to Chennai. Another possible route includes Chennai-Surat, the websites says.

The routes which AirAsia will fly will also depend on whether it secures a national operating permit or regional permit. While civil aviation minister Ajit Singh said there will be no problem in AirAsia getting a national permit a section of officials in the ministry believe that the airline should first be only granted a regional permit. Other issues related to potential network will depend on route dispersal guidelines which make it mandatory on airlines to fly certain routes including those to North East or Andaman and availability of slots.