Jet Airways, Sahara Airlines may join Star Alliance
Star Alliance now has Lufthansa, Thai, US Airways, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, BMI and LOT Polish Airlines.
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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
23 August 2005: Star Alliance is scouting for possible partners from India to extend its flight network to the world’s second-most populous nation and intends tap the growing aviation market in India. The world’s largest group of airlines is in talks with Air India, Jet Airways and Sahara Airlines, with an intention of roping them in to join the group.
“The Indian government has been opening the international market so these domestic carriers are not having access to the international network,” Star Alliance Chief Executive Officer Jaan Albrecht said.
While the two state-owned airlines – Air-India and Indian Airlines -- have been in talks for joining the global alliance, Jet and Sahara are the latest Indian carriers to join the negotiations.
Joining Star Alliance would give an Indian carrier access to over 15,000 connecting flights and 840 destinations in 150 countries per day, operated by other members of the group. This would also help in increasing sales, reducing costs by feeding passengers onto other networks, sharing common facilities and making joint purchases.
Frankfurt-based Star Alliance has also been looking to add an airline member from China and Russia, and has initiated talks with Beijing-based Air China. Apart from Air China, China Southern and China Eastern are the other prominent players in China, which is the most populous country in the world.
Star Alliance is a global alliance of international airlines, including Lufthansa, Thai, US Airways, Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, BMI and LOT Polish Airlines. The group is one of the prominent airline alliances in the world, the others being Skyteam and
Oneworld.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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