Fernandes attacks IndiGo on twitter for blocking AirAsia's India plans
Mumbai: AirAsia Group Chief Executive Tony Fernandes has accused rival IndiGo of hindering the launch of his airline’s services in India. Fernandes, known to make bold statements, has tweeted: “Exciting plans for AirAsia India. Whatever IndiGo tries to do to stop us, it just makes us stronger and smarter. Well done.”
Fernandes had blamed Indian domestic carriers for preventing AirAsia’s India launch earlier, too, but this was the first time he named an airline. He did not mention why he had chosen to attack IndiGo. A spokesperson for IndiGo did not respond to Business Standard’s emailed query on the tweet.
In March, Fernandes had targeted the domestic airlines but refrained from taking names. “The entire aviation industry has tried to block us. We have not experienced this (opposition) in any other country,” he had said, adding he had not tried to stop rival Malindo Air from starting services in Malaysia. “Many people do not want us to start, which means we must be quite good,” he had quipped in a television interview that month.
His comments had come after the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) had written to the civil aviation minister requesting that the grant of permissions to the proposed budget carrier be put on hold.
21/05/14 Business Standard.
Ritesh Singh