All Tata group aviation assets to be under one roof soon?

Is the Tata Group moving forward on possible plans of synergy among its aviation assets? Well, it’s been the buzzword since the group acquired erstwhile national carrier, Air India in January earlier this year.

Now an email that has gone out to the top bosses of the company’s aviation assets, may have confirmed the same.

According to an internal email marked to the CEOs of Vistara, Air Asia, Air India Express, Air India SATS (ground handling supplier), and the department heads of Air India (after acquisition, the airline is yet to appoint a CEO), plans are afoot to move all entities together into a complex in Gurugram in a phased manner.

READ | Air India back to Tatas: Who gets what

As per the email, that India Today accessed, a new office space on NH8 has already been identified, where the option to lease 700,000 sq ft exists immediately.

The target, it appears, is to move all the Tata Group aviation assets into a new space within the next two-three months.

The email states the idea behind this plan is to “optimise resources, increase team work, and have higher synergies at work.”

Dr Harpreet A De Singh, Executive Director of Air India has been entrusted with the responsibility of coming up with a strategy plan. She is expected to be assisted by consultants from Ernst & Young and a team of professionals from Tata Realty.

This new plan could involve challenges like existing leases that companies may have.

While Air India, Air India Express and AI SATS (Centre’s 50% stake in the joint venture with Singapore Airport Terminal Services) were part of the bouquet that Tata Sons bought over from the government of India earlier this year, Vistara is a joint venture it has with Singapore Airlines Limited (SIA), where Tata’s own 51% and SIA hold 49% stakes. As for Air Asia, Tata Sons is a majority stakeholder with 83.67% stake while Air Asia Investment Limited (Malaysia) holds 16.33% stake.