JAT pilots join Air India ahead of alliance

MUMBAI: Air India, which is looking at a possible tie-up with Serbia’s national carrier Jugoslavenski Aerotransport (JAT) for expanding European operations, said on Friday that about 20 JAT pilots have already joined its low cost carrier, Air India Express. “The Serbian airline and Air India have started to work together. About 20 JAT pilots have joined Air India Express and additional 10 pilots would join soon,” Air India chairman V Thulasidas, who will head the merged Air India-Indian, said.

“JAT has a good flight training school. We would send our people for training there,” Mr Thulasidas said adding there are plans to start flights to trans-Atlantic destinations through Belgrade. Air India had earlier announced that Accenture has been appointed as consultant after JAT had approached it for tie-up.

Mr Thulasidas said Air India was open to various options, including acquisition of JAT, which has 10 Boeing 737-200 and 4 ATRs. “A tie-up will give us an opportunity to operate in Europe as a European airline that will normally not be available to an Indian airline,” Mr Thulasidas said. The Russian national carrier, Aeroflot, has already evinced interest in the 80-year-old Serbian airline, which could see a sell-off by this year-end.