CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023

2023-08-13T17:37:14Z

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{{short description|Defunct Indian regional airline based in Coimbatore}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=February 2018}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = Air Carnival
| image = Air Carnival logo.png
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| IATA = 2S<ref name="chavprofile">{{cite web | url=http://www.ch-aviation.com/portal/airline/CVD | title=Air Carnival | work=ch-aviation | access-date=27 January 2017}}</ref>
| ICAO = ACV<ref name="chavprofile" />
| callsign = CARNAIR<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.faa.gov/documentLibrary/media/Order/7340_2F_Bsc_w_Chgs_1-3_Contractions.pdf | title=7340.2F with Change 1 and Change 2 and Change 3 | work=[[Federal Aviation Administration]] | date=15 September 2016 | access-date=27 January 2017 | page=CAM 1-1}}</ref>
| founded = 2013
| commenced = 18 July 2016
| ceased = 6 April 2017<ref name="thehindubusinessline1">{{cite web|author=L N Revathy |url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/air-carnival-aircraft-grounded/article9661567.ece |title=Air Carnival aircraft grounded | Business Line |publisher=Thehindubusinessline.com |access-date=2017-10-05}}</ref>
| bases = [[Coimbatore International Airport]]
| hubs = [[Chennai International Airport]]
| secondary_hubs =
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer =
| lounge =
| fleet_size = 1 (March 2017)
| destinations = 4 (March 2017)
| parent =
| headquarters = [[Coimbatore]], [[Tamil Nadu]], India
| key_people = {{bulleted list
|Manish Kumar Singh, [[chief executive officer|CEO]]
|S. I. Nathan, founder and [[Chairman]]
}}
| website = {{URL|https://aircarnival.in/}}
}}

'''Air Carnival''' was an Indian [[regional airline]] based at [[Coimbatore International Airport]] with a [[airline hub|hub]] at [[Chennai International Airport]]. Air Carnival was [[corporate promoter|promoted]] by the [[Coimbatore Marine College]] (CMC) Group. It was founded in 2013 as a [[air charter|charter airline]] but transitioned to scheduled operations within [[South India]], which were launched in July 2016.

The airline ceased operations on 6 April 2017. The Indian [[Directorate General of Civil Aviation (India)|DGCA]] suspended its air operator's permit in June 2017. In November 2017, the Chennai bench of the [[National Company Law Tribunal]] (NCLT) ordered the corporate insolvency resolution process against the airline<ref name="FE1">{{cite news | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/nclt-orders-insolvency-process-against-regional-airline-air-carnival/926912/ | title=NCLT orders insolvency process against regional airline Air Carnival | work=[[The Financial Express (India)|Financial Express]] | date=10 November 2017 | access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> and ordered liquidation of the company in January 2019.<ref name="FE2">{{cite news | url=https://www.financialexpress.com/industry/mayday-air-carnival-goes-for-liquidation-as-no-investor-finds-it-airworthy/1430932/ | title= Mayday! Air Carnival goes for liquidation as no investor finds it airworthy | work=[[The Financial Express (India)|Financial Express]] | date= 3 April 2017 | access-date= 2 January 2019}}</ref>

[[File:Air Carnival M-IBAI at Dubai DXB, Apr 2016.jpg|thumb|An Air Carnival [[ATR 72-500]] at [[Dubai International Airport]] awaiting delivery]]

==History==
The company was founded in 2013 by S.I. Nathan of the CMC group, as Air Carnival Charter Services, a [[air charter|charter airline]] based in [[Delhi]].<ref name="bs14jun">{{cite news | url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/coimbatore-biz-group-to-launch-airline-116061300731_1.html | title=Coimbatore biz group to launch airline | work=[[Business Standard]] | date=14 June 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016 | author=T. E., Narasimhan}}</ref> The group later shifted the focus of Air Carnival to short-haul routes within [[South India]]. [[Coimbatore]] was selected as the base for its aircraft in order to offer optimum flight timings to the city's business community.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/coimbatore/Well-get-home-town-advantage-in-Coimbatore-Air-Carnival-CEO/articleshow/51987841.cms | title=We'll get home town advantage in Coimbatore: Air Carnival CEO | work=[[The Times of India]] | date=26 April 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016}}</ref>

Manish Kumar Singh was [[chief executive officer|CEO]]; and S. I. Nathan, who is also the director of CMC Group, was the founder and [[chairman]].<ref name="hindu12jul">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/air-carnival-to-start-flying-from-july-18/article8836996.ece | title=Air Carnival to start flying from July 18 | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=12 July 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016}}</ref>

The airline was positioned as a small-town carrier, with a fleet of two aircraft. The plan was to operate on short-haul routes where it could fly profitably<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/with-short-haul-flights-air-carnival-joins-the-aviation-race-115012700016_1.html | title=With short-haul flights, Air Carnival joins the aviation race | work=[[Business Standard]] | date=27 January 2015 | access-date=18 July 2016 | author=T. E., Narasimhan}}</ref> with a focus on unserved and poorly served markets.<ref name="bs14jun" /> The airline received its no-objection certificate (NOC) from the (DGCA) in June 2014 to operate on regional routes in South India.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.financialexpress.com/companies/air-carnival-sees-no-air-pockets-to-launch-by-april/24682/ | title=Air Carnival sees no air pockets, to launch by April | work=[[The Financial Express (India)|The Financial Express]] | date=31 December 2014 | access-date=18 July 2016 | author=Kumar, Sajan}}</ref> Air Carnival received its first aircraft, an [[ATR 72-500]], in April 2016<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/air-carnival-to-take-wings-in-may/article8480409.ece | title=Air Carnival to take wings in May | work=[[The Hindu Business Line]] | date=15 April 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016 | author=L. N., Revathy}}</ref> and its air operator's certificate (AOP) in July 2016.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/air-carnival-to-add-two-more-aircraft/article8852250.ece | title=Air Carnival to add two more aircraft | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=15 July 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016}}</ref> The airline commenced operations on 18 July 2016 with a flight from Coimbatore to Chennai.<ref name="bs18jul">{{cite news | url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/coimbatore-based-air-carnival-commences-operations-116071800101_1.html | title=Coimbatore-based Air Carnival commences operations | work=[[Business Standard]] | date=18 July 2016 | access-date=18 July 2016 | author=T. E., Narasimhan}}</ref>

The promoters ran into funding issues within nine months of operations. Efforts to acquire two more aircraft did not materialise as promoters failed to raise funds. The promoters attempted to sell their stake in the airline in April 2017.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/transportation/airlines-/-aviation/air-carnival-to-change-hands-100-stake-sale-likely-this-week/articleshow/57993424.cms|title=Air Carnival to change hands, 100% stake sale likely this week|work=The Economic Times|access-date=2017-04-05}}</ref> However, by then the airline had ceased operations after the airline's engineers demanding wages went on a two-day strike, resulting in the grounding of its lone aircraft.<ref>{{cite news | url= https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/economy/logistics/air-carnival-aircraft-grounded/article9661567.ece | title= Air Carnival aircraft grounded | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=25 April 2017 | access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref> The DGCA suspended Carnival's AOP in June 2017 after the airline failed to satisfy the regulator in its response to a show-cause notice.<ref>{{cite news | url=https://www.livemint.com/Companies/ZQXJQyhi2geiWdBkCV835M/DGCA-suspends-Air-Carnivals-flying-permit.html | title= DGCA suspends Air Carnival's flying permit | work=[[Live Mint]] | date=18 June 2017 | access-date=15 July 2019}}</ref>

In November 2017, the Chennai bench of the NCLT ordered the corporate insolvency resolution process against the airline<ref name="FE1"/> and, after finding no investors to revive the airline, ordered liquidation of the company in January 2019.<ref name ="FE2"/>

==Destinations==
Air Carnival was flying to the following destinations in India at the time of ceasing:<ref name="sched">{{cite web | url=https://aircarnival.in/schedule.php | title=Flight schedule | work=Air Carnival | access-date=31 March 2017}}</ref>

{|class="sortable wikitable"
|-
! State
! City
! Airport
! Notes
|-
|Tamil Nadu||Chennai||[[Chennai International Airport]]||<ref name="hubbase">{{cite news | url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Coimbatore/air-carnival-to-add-two-more-aircraft/article8852250.ece | title=Air Carnival to add two more aircraft | work=[[The Hindu]] | date=15 July 2016 | access-date=17 July 2016}}</ref>
|-
|Tamil Nadu||Coimbatore||[[Coimbatore International Airport]]||align=center|{{mdash}}
|-
|Tamil Nadu||Tuticorin||[[Tuticorin Airport]]||align=center|{{mdash}}
|-
|Tamil Nadu||Tiruchirappalli||[[Tiruchirappalli International Airport]]||align=center|{{mdash}}
|}

==See also==
* [[List of airlines of India]]

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons-inline}}
*{{Official website|https://aircarnival.in/}}

{{Airlines of India}}

[[Category:Defunct airlines of India]]
[[Category:Airlines established in 2013]]
[[Category:Airlines disestablished in 2017]]
[[Category:Companies based in Coimbatore]]
[[Category:Indian companies disestablished in 2017]]
[[Category:Indian companies established in 2013]]
[[Category:2013 establishments in Tamil Nadu]]

Air Carnival - Revision history

CleanupBot II at 17:37, 13 August 2023