Co-bidder SpiceJet hails Tata's acquisition of Air India, confident they'll revive it

As Air India flies back home to the Tata group, the successful divestment of the former national airline was appreciated by the co-bidder, SpiceJet Airways CMD Ajay Singh on Friday. After the Union government’s announcement on Friday of Tata Sons winning the bid to acquire a 100% ownership of Air India, Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet congratulated the Tata group on winning the debt-ridden national airlines.

SpiceJet CMD hails Tata's acquisition of Air India

He further added that it was his honour and privilege to be shortlisted as a bidder for Air India. In a statement, he said, "I congratulate the Tata Group on winning the bid for Air India and wish them all the success. It was my honour and privilege to be shortlisted for bidding for Air India.”

SpiceJet CMD exclaimed that the government had run a flexible and transparent bid to sell Air India and he was privileged and honoured to participate in the bid. 

SpiceJet and Tata’s were the only two contenders to make the final bid to earn the ownership of the national carrier. Amid the ongoing speculations, the government announced in a press conference that Tata group had outbid SpiceJet by bidding Rs. 18,000 crore against the consortium led by Ajay Singh that had bid around Rs.15,100 crore. The Tata sons-owned Talace Private Limited took over the Singh-led consortium’s bid to win the 100% stake of Air India. 

He expressed faith in the Tata Group, saying that they will revive Air India's glory and make India proud again. He stated that he has always been an Air India admirer and added that it is time for the Maharaja to restore its place as the world's leading airline.

Welcome back Air India': Rata Tata

The acquisition marks the return of Air India to the Tatas. The airline was founded by Jehangir Ratanji Dadabhoy (JRD) Tata in 1932 and was called Tata Airlines then. Industrialist Ratan Tata on Friday reacted to the news that Tata Group has finally won the bid to reacquire Air India. Taking to Twitter, he said Tatas will have the opportunity to regain the image and reputation that the airlines enjoyed in earlier years.
 

Remembering JRD Tata, under whose leadership Air India had gained the reputation as the most 'prestigious' airline in the world, Ratan Tata said the late Indian aviator would have been overjoyed on this day.