MUMBAI: Deccan Aviation Pvt Ltd (India), which operates budget carrier Air Deccan, is in talks with the Sri Lankan government to operate services to that country. The airline has registered a company called Deccan Lanka in the island-nation.
This will enable it to beat the Indian rule which calls for a five-year experience for any airline before going international.
If it were to fly international under Indian rules, budget carrier Air Deccan would have had to wait for two-and-a-half years more.
Indian aviation rules prescribe that any domestic airline wishing to fly overseas should complete five years' flying experience.
But Captain Gopinath's Deccan Aviation Private Limited (India), which operates Air Deccan, has outwitted the Indian government through a move it initiated two years back.
Two years ago, it registered Deccan Lanka, a joint venture between Deccan Aviation Private Limited (India) and local partners, in that country.
This move has now paid dividends to Gopinath's global dreams and also in pipping rival Kingfisher Airlines. The company is now in talks with the Lankan government on the routes it want to fly. "We plan to fly on the short-haul routes," Gopinath said.
Vijay Mallya has also set up an airline company in the US - Kingfisher International - but has not yet applied for permission to start operating on international routes.
"We have been lobbying with the government to reduce the number of years required to start flying overseas for some time now. If that doesn't work, we will resort to the other option of starting international services from the US," says Kingfisher chief executive officer (CEO) Nigel Harwood.
Deccan Lanka has been allowed to commence operations as a designated international scheduled commercial passenger operator by the Civil Aviation Authority (CA) of Sri Lanka.
It is one of the six airlines which have been short-listed from the nine private airlines that have got licences to fly international.
"Deccan Lanka will commence flights on international route within six months. We will acquire three A 320s to launch our services from Sri Lanka," says Gopinath.
Gopinath owns 48% stake in Deccan Lanka, while the Lankan partners hold the remaining 52%.
Deccan Lanka has been operating as a non-scheduled charter operator in Sri Lanka for the last two years. It operates a helicopter service in Colombo.
