Mumbai: Budget passenger carrier IndiGo on Thursday said that it will not bid for the national passenger carrier Air India under the “current divestiture plans”.
The development assumes significance as IndiGo had earlier expressed its interest in the acquiring Air India’s international operations and Air India Express (AIXL). However, the central government has invited “Expression of Interest” to off-load 76 per cent stake and management control of the airline.
On March 28, the government issued the Preliminary Information Memorandum (PIM) for the strategic divestment of AI, along with the airline’s shares in AIXL and AISATS (Air India SATS Airport Services).
“From day one, IndiGo has expressed its interest primarily in the acquisition of Air India’s international operations and Air India Express. However, that option is not available under the government’s current divestiture plans for Air India,” said IndiGo’s President and Whole Time Director Aditya Ghosh.
“Also, as we have communicated before, we do not believe that we have the capability to take on the task of acquiring and successfully turning around all of Air India’s airline operations,” Ghosh said in response to queries from investors regarding IndiGo’s involvement in the upcoming divestiture of Air India.
