Airlines set to ride on global platform

New Delhi: Aiming to compete with their rivals in the international market, the fast-growing Indian airlines are looking at global platforms to widen their overseas presence.
The two Indian international carriers, Air India and Jet Airways, currently have less than 25% share in the long-haul market to and from the country. With the third carrier Kingfisher Airlines joining the ranks this month, the Indian aviation scenario is all set to change.
Kingfisher Airlines, which is starting its international operations on September 3 with a Bangalore-London flight, is considering options to join the SkyTeam Alliance led by Air France-KLM and Delta Airlines of the US. The national carrier, Air India, has already joined the Star Alliance, the world’s largest airlines consortium led by Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.
Mumbai-based Jet Airways could eventually become the Indian partner of the Oneworld Alliance, led by British Airways and American Airlines, according to industry sources. Under such global alliances, airlines agree to co-operate, tie up to provide better connectivity to international passengers, share terminals as well as expertise in back-end operations.
Indian airlines are aiming for a greater presence in the lucrative international market with the ambition of taking market share from the large number of international carriers such as Singapore Airlines, Emirates, Lufthansa and British Airways, which dominate international traffic to and from India.
02/09/09 Chanchal Pal Chauhan/Economic Times

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Categories: Foreign Sep 2008, Indian Aviation- In General Sep 2008, New Sep 2008