Air India Clearing Final Hurdles For Star Alliance Membership

Faced with a July 31 deadline to meet the requirements for joining the Star Alliance, representatives of Air India and the global airline group will soon meet with government officials to set the date for the national carrier’s formal entry into the 27-member partnership.
“In a meeting of the Star Alliance’s Chief Executives Board at Barcelona on June 3, the Star Alliance appraised the readiness of Air India to join Star Alliance by July 31,” an Air India spokesman says.
Air India Chairman and Managing Director Arvind Jadhav says, “Air India is looking forward to joining Star Alliance as scheduled.”
Lufthansa, a founding member of Star, recently said Air India needs to complete all formalities before the final deadline of July 31.
“The Star Alliance has set the time limit for Air India to become a full-fledged member. So, it is time for Air India to prepare by July 31 and meet all criteria. All the solutions need to be worked out by that day,” Carsten Spohr, CEO of Lufthansa German Airlines, said last month.
Star Alliance has certain minimum joining requirements, which involve development, testing systems and procedures to harmonize the product with those of other members.
The process of integrating Air India into Star Alliance is progressing well and Air India is looking forward to becoming a member within the targeted time frame, the spokesman says.
10/06/11 Jay Menon/Aviation Week

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Categories: Air India Jun 2011, Foreign Jun 2011, New Jun 2011