Star Alliance to keep Air India’s Membership Application on hold

[Bapun]

India’s national carrier, Air India’s plans to join the global airline alliance, Star Alliance, has received a set back. A joint meeting of Air India and Star Alliance’s Chief Executive Board comprising all the member airlines has decided to suspend the integration of the former into the alliance for the time being as the airline couldn’t fulfill the joining conditions that were contractually agreed in December 2007. However, the decision to put on hold the integration of Air India into the global alliance would not impact the existing bilateral relationships between Air India and Star Alliance member airlines.

The issue was also discussed in detail in a recent meeting among the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Government of India; Jaan Albrecht, CEO, Star Alliance; and Arvind Jadhav, Chairman & Managing Director, Air India. “With the collective decision to put the integration efforts on hold, we aim to contribute to Air India’s flexibility to concentrate on its ongoing strategic reorientation. In this process our member carriers will continue to provide assistance to Air India wherever required,” said Albrecht.

The decision to continue with the existing bilateral relationships between Air India and Star Alliance member airlines will help the national carrier to discuss a potential Alliance membership at a future stage, if deemed appropriate by all parties.

http://www.travelbizmonitor.com/star-alliance-to-keep-air-indias-membership-application-on-hold-14116