AirAsia’s management exodus leads to friction with Federation of Indian Airlines

The Federation of Indian Airlines, a lobbying body of 5 local carriers, is again up in arms against AirAsia India, raising questions over the airline's control following a management exodus and the likely exit of CE Mittu Chandilya. The federation plans to approach the aviation ministry with the plea that the friction between the management and the shareholders underlined that the airline was "remote controlled" from the Malaysian headquarters of parent AirAsia Bhd. AirAsia India's cofounder Arun Bhatia too had alleged that the airline was controlled by the foreign parent in contravention of Indian laws. The airline is one of the first beneficiaries of a rule change in 2012, which allowed foreign airlines to take up to a 49% stake in their Indian carriers. <br/>