AirAsia India's safety head Sumant Mishra resigns

AirAsia India’s head of safetySumant Mishra has resigned, three months after the domesticarm of the Malaysian budget airline AriAsia got off theground, sources said.The airline, however, has found the replacement, whowill soon be taking over the position left vacant by Mishra,a source close to the development told PTI.

“Sumant Mishra has resignedfrom the top job and he isnow serving the mandatory six-month notice before leaving thecarrier,” the source said.

Mishra, who had earlier been with the now groundedKingfisher Airlines as chief of flight operations, joinedAirAsia India last year, when it was in the process oflaunching operations.Both Mishra and AirAsia India spokesperson wereunavailable for comments.

“The airline with just three months into operations, isin transition phase where a number of people are joining itand some may leave it as well. It has already found areplacement for Mishra and he will be joining as the head ofsafety very shortly,” the source said.

Mishra, meanwhile, will remain with the airline tillearly next year and his services will be utilised as a flyingcommander, the source said.

According to DGCA norms, serving a six-month noticeperiod is mandatory for a commander before leaving an airline.Under this rule only, the aviation regulator early thismonth served notices to 22 former pilots of low-cost carrierIndiGo for not serving the required notice period beforeparting ways with the Gurgaon-based airline.

AirAsia, which is a 49:30:21 joint venture betweenMalaysian no-frills carrier AirAsia, Tata Sons and TelestraTradePlace of Arun Bhatia, started its operations on June 12this year.

At present it operates to Goa, Chennai and Kochi fromits Bangalore base.From September 5, it will add Jaipur and Chandigarh toits network.

PTI