AirAsia CEO Tony Fernandes had alleged that the eligibility norm for foreign flying must have been put to protect one of the existing private carriers. The Competition Commission of India had also advocated the abolition of the minimum eligibility criteria for Indian carriers to launch international services and said that the rule was acting as an impediment for the Indian aviation sector. The primary beneficiaries of the move would be the two new airlines being launched in India – AirAsia India by AirAsia along with Tata Sons and Arun Bhatia of Telestra Tradeplace as equity partners, and the other by Tata Sons in partnership with Singapore Airlines (SIA).