Decision on Indian partner in Star Alliance Thursday

Beijing, Dec 12 - The chief executives of Star Alliance carriers, the leading commercial pact among 19 global airlines, meet here Thursday to take a decision on inducting an Indian airline as a partner.

'Yes, it is high on our agenda. We could be taking a decision on an Indian partner tomorrow,' Star Alliance chief executive Jaan Albrecht said ahead of the crucial annual meeting here among the top brass of the member carriers.

'India is a white spot for the alliance and we are very keen to partner with an Indian carrier on a whole host of issues since we want our global customers to get the same kind of service they are used to by flying with us,' Albrecht told IANS.

'We know a large fleet is going to be added into the Indian aviation market and the double digit growth rate is going to be sustained. So naturally we want see a potential there and want our customers in India to get the same quality of service they are used to globally.'

Flag carrier Air India and private sector Jet Airways are the two Indian carriers that have been in talks with Star Alliance - which completes 10 years this December - to join it for the possible interline arrangement.

Albrecht said China was another white spot for Star Alliance earlier, but that was corrected with the formal induction of Air China and Shanghai Airlines as the 18tth and 19th partners at a ceremony at the international airport here Wednesday.

With the induction of these two carriers, Star Alliance partners now collectively operate 17,000 daily flights to 897 destinations in 160 countries.

Speaking about which carrier between Air India and Jet Airways, some chief executives said the odds favoured the flag carrier.

'Wherever we go, we go for the largest and the best. The merger of Air India and Indian has thrown open a lot of exciting opportunities. I am sure my partners and colleagues in other carriers too agree with this view,' said a chief executive.

Albrecht explained that once the chief executives take a decision, it could take between 12 and 18 months for the formal induction of a carrier into the alliance.

'But the decision can be taken only if there is consensus among all carriers,' he said.

Some of the benefits to both customers as well as the carriers of Star Alliance include joint frequent flier benefits and sharing of infrastructure like business lounges, check-in counters, security machines, promotional expenses.

(c) Indo-Asian News Service

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