By Arvind Padmanabhan, IANS
Beijing : The integration of Air India into the grand Star Alliance can take 12-18 months and would also involve route rationalisation among member carriers and sharing of facilities, top airline executives have said.
Sharing of business and first class lounges, common mileage points and seamless transit for multiple airline passengers will be among the benefits for alliance passengers following the integration, the executives added.
“India has long been on the radar of Star Alliance,” said Glen Tilton, chairman and chief executive officer of United Airlines, who also chaired the meeting of the alliance here last weekend that formally voted in Air India’s favour.
“Having come to an agreement with Air India makes us the first airline alliance to secure a member in India, which will enable our customers to receive more benefits when travelling to, from and within India in the future.”
Senior officials of the alliance explained that the most important factor which tilted the balance in Air India’s favour, vis-à-vis its domestic competitor Jet Airways, was the government’s decision to merge it with Indian Airlines.
They said since the process involves a host of issues, it could take anywhere between 12 and 18 months for integration. They said it took a similar effort to induct China Air and Air Shanghai – the 18th and 19th members.
“Some specialised teams at Star Alliance, Air India and our member carriers will work on the integration. We will also work closely with the Indian government on issues like air traffic control and upgrading infrastructure,” an official said.
Carriers like South African Airways are also looking at how connectivity between their countries and India can be improved following the induction of Air India, as the present capacity did not permit enhancement of flight frequencies.
“We have five flights a week out of Mumbai. We would like to fly more to India, but we also see that the traffic is very seasonal. We hope to work out something with Air India,” said Jason Krause, head of the airline’s network development.
“We also hope that the IBSA alliance, the trilateral forum between South Africa, Brazil and your country will generate more business interest and we will see more passengers flying between our countries,” Krause added.
“This invitation comes in the wake of Air India’s merger with India’s leading domestic carrier Indian Airlines, thus making Air India the prime player in the Indian subcontinent,” said Air India chairman Vasudevan Thulasidas.
“Having got selected as a future Star Alliance member, Air India will add value to passengers patronising member airlines of the alliance,” said the chairman, whose merged entity has over 115 aircraft with plans to add over 100 more.
He had specially flown in to the Chinese capital for the celebrations to mark 10 years of Star Alliance, as also to hear the news about the “unanimous” vote that Air India secured to join Star Alliance as a member.
Following the integration of China Air and Air Shanghai, Star Alliance boasts of having a network of 19 members with revenues of over $122 billion, 455 million annual passengers and a fleet of 3,087 aircraft, officials said.
The alliance carriers also serve 897 airports in around 160 countries and give their passengers access to 17,000 daily flights and 740 lounges.