Dublin Airport woos Air India

Dublin Airport is in advanced talks with Air India in a bid to become the airline’s European hub, which could see more transatlantic flights from Ireland.
It is believed that talks are ongoing between the two parties, but an announcement is likely to be around a month away.
Air India is considering Dublin as a hub for US-bound flights. Other European airports are also in contention, however, such as Copenhagen, Denmark and Vienna, Birmingham and Barcelona.
Air India would likely use the new Terminal 2 which is due to open in November. This would enable Air India’s passengers to clear US immigration and customs in Dublin. A spokesman for the Dublin Airport Authority (DAA) declined to comment.
Bloxham stockbroker Joe Gill said any new business at Dublin Airport would be a welcome boost, given the decline in capacity and traffic over the past two years.
"The new terminal and pre-clearance for US immigration are attractive to Air India," he said.
Air India is believed to be looking for an airport in Europe that’s cheaper to operate than its current hub in Frankfurt.
A civil aviation ministry official has been quoted as saying the airline’s chairman and managing director, Arvind Jadhav, and senior civil aviation ministry officials have already inspected Dublin Airport.
Dublin has a key advantage over other airports as it is the only European airport where passengers can clear immigration for the US.
29/05/10 Niamh Hennessy/Irish Examiner

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Categories: Air India - International May 2010, Airports May 2010, Foreign May 2010, NACIL May 2010