The Tata-Singapore Airlines-promoted airline, Vistara, had applied to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for the permit in April and had planned to launch services by September. However a delay in the process means that the full-service carrier will now not be able to start flights until next year.
"We are in the final phase of securing the air operator's permit (AOP). We are working with the regulator to complete the remaining process expeditiously and look forward to launch our services soon after receiving the permission," a Vistara spokesperson said in a statement.
So far this start up has taken delivery of two planes on lease and was scheduled to take a third aircraft last month but has deferred this arrival because of the delay. The carriers long term plans are to lease 20 Airbus A320s, including seven fuel-efficient A320 Neo aircraft.
The airline will, according to plans, operate from its base Delhi and connect Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Goa, Chandigarh, Srinagar, Jammu and Patna in the first year.