Air India, AirAsia ink interline pact for domestic passengers

Tata Group airlines Air India and AirAsia India signed an agreement on interline considerations on irregular operations (IROPs) that will allow the two airlines to transfer passengers to one another in case of disrupted operations.

While this is the first official move in the direction of two airlines in the Tata Group aviation portfolio cooperating after the Air India takeover, it is also a step towards executing the plan of eventually merging AirAsia India into Air India. In a letter circulated Friday by Air India’s ground handling department to its regional divisions across the country, the airline noted that the agreement — that will be valid till February 9, 2024 — will be applicable only on domestic sectors and the carriage of passengers shall be on an “as available” basis.