Air India to finalise date for Star Alliance entry

NEW DELHI: The representatives of Air India and Star Alliance will meet the civil aviation ministry officials soon to finalise the date for national carrier’s proposed entry into the 27-member global aviation network.

"In a meeting of the Star Alliance’s Chief Executives Board at Barcelona on June 3, 2011, the Star Alliance GmbH apprised the readiness of Air India to join Star Alliance within July 31, 2011," said Air India spokesperson in a release.

The Air India CMD Mr Arvind Jadhav, who attended the meeting, said: "Air India is looking forward to join Star Alliance, as scheduled".

Star Alliance, formed in 1997, is a consortium of 27 member airlines including Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways, and Swiss amongst other major airlines of the world. It has a fleet of more than 4000 aircraft serving 181 countries.

Star Alliance has certain minimum joining requirements, which involve development/testing systems and procedures to harmonize the product with other members.

Air India operates to 63 domestic destinations and has a network of 33 international destinations with a fleet size of 127 which includes Airbus A319, 320, 321,310, 330, Boeing B-737-800 B-777, and 747 apart from ATR-42 and CRJ aircraft.