The tale of two airlines

The pandemic may have willy-nilly created an opportunity to correct the anomalies of the past

By next month, the Tata group takeover of Air India is expected to be complete. 

By the summer of 2022, a new airline —Akasa Air—is readying for launch. The airline is floated by aviation industry veteran Vinay Dube, has former IndiGo chief executive officer Aditya Ghosh as an advisor, and is funded by marquee investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala.

Between them, they represent the two biggest stories in Indian aviation, all set to play out next year.

Even as we keep our eyes peeled on the unfolding action, there are a couple of strategic issues that could impact the game for both airlines.

Regulation vs open