CIASL in elusive search for hangar partner

Kochi: The Cochin International Airport Services Limited (CIASL) which is a subsidiary of Cochin International Airport Limited (CIAL) is continuing to find a strategic partner to run its maintenance, repair and operations (MRO) or hangar unit.

Senior CIASL officials scotched reports that it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with a Jordanian firm to run the hangar.

“No firm has been selected so far and negotiations are on with various firms,” said R Venkiteswaran, CIASL managing director, without divulging the names of the firms.

It is learnt that CIASL is in talks with Malaysian, Sri Lankan, Jordanian, Qatar firms as well as GMR and Indigo now for a partnership to run the hangar.

A joint venture company will be mooted with CIASL and the firm selected as a partner, with CIASL holding majority shares.

CIASL had reached a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Romania-based Aerostar in 2012 for getting technical know-how on maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), but it did not work out due to disagreements on revenue-sharing.

Since then,  CIASL has been unsuccessful in finding a partner.