AirAsia, Air India sign pact to carry each other’s passengers in case of disruption in ops

• AirAsia said its pact with full service carrier Air India on passenger transfer in case of disruption in operations is a "standard" one
• The arrangement will be effective for two years starting from this month

New Delhi: Tata Group's two airline businesses — budget carrier AirAsia India and Air India — have signed a pact which will allow them to carry each other's passengers in case of a disruption in operations. In a statement released on Saturday, AirAsia said its pact with full service carrier Air India on passenger transfer in case of disruption in operations is a "standard" one and it has similar arrangements with other airlines as well.

"The agreement under discussion is a standard agreement airlines enter with each other to re-accommodate guests in the event of last minute disruptions. We already have similar agreements with almost all other Indian carriers," an AirAsia spokesperson said in a statement on Saturday.

AirAsia-Air India pact effective for two years

The arrangement, effective for two years starting from this month, will enable airport teams of both Air India and AirAsia to offer alternative first available flights so that inconvenience to passengers is minimised.

The two carriers have entered into the IROPS (Irregular Operations) arrangement through a pact, which allows transfer of passengers to each other's flights in case of disrupted operations, the statement said.

However, carriage of passengers will be on an "as available" basis as determined by the airport manager of the accepting airline, it added.

Tata Group completed the takeover of Air India from the government last month.

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