Air India fast-tracks flight into Star

Mumbai: National Aviation Company of India Ltd (Nacil), the debt-ridden, state-owned manager of Air India, has fast tracked plans to be a working member of Star Alliance.
A senior official of the airline said the membership will help give AI a boost in business and help increase passenger load factors. "This alliance...allows us to be a part of the top 21 airlines of the world, with 17,000 flights daily flying to and fro from 916 destinations in 160 countries," said the official.
Membership will see AI's passenger load factor rise 7 per cent on an average, as it would include agreements with other airlines to carry their passengers domestically and internationally.
Sources and analysts say that this membership will help the airline to draw more domestic traffic, thanks to the code-sharing agreement between Air India and other airlines that are a part of the alliance.
Air India was invited to be a part of the Alliance in 2007, and the deal was meant to be finalised by March 2009. However, the delay has been caused due to dual codes that are currently used by Air India (AI) and the erstwhile Indian Airlines (IC) flights.
06/10/09 Ramiya Bhas/Daily News & Analysis

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Categories: Air India - International Oct 2009, Air India Domestic Oct 2009, NACIL Oct 2009