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Home » News » Air India Again Positions Itself for Star Alliance Membership
NewsStar Alliance

Air India Again Positions Itself for Star Alliance Membership

Matthew Klint Posted onDecember 16, 2013December 9, 2016 4 Comments

When I worked for Star Alliance in 2011, the politics surrounding Air India’s failed bid to join the Alliance were fascinating. I am bound from disclosing the nitty gritty details, but the situation opened my eyes to how much maneuvering and backstabbing goes on in the airline industry. Now Air India is again making a concerted push to join Star Alliance and I think I can get away with saying, buyer be warned.

But for all the pitfalls of doing business with a flailing state-run carrier, I will be quite happy if Air India is successful this time around in joining Star–and by all indications it appears this is a done deal. Star Alliance remains gold-medal winner of the three alliances, but oneworld is catching up and will move even closer with the addition of US Airways. Already it has picked off bmi (acquisition by British Airways) and (soon) TAM from Star Alliance. Even with Avianca/TACA and Copa maintaining a healthy operation of flights, Star Alliance has a notable gap in South America.

Star also has a gap in India that this addition to the Alliance will help to fix. Air India’s route network has shrunk substantially—no more flights to Frankfurt from Los Angeles or Chicago among the many longhauls axed—but it still adds several new destinations and connecting options in South Asia and the surrounding area.

For U.S. travelers, its Delhi –  New York JFK / Newark / Chicago routes will be welcome additions to United’s flight from Newark, which offers premium cabin award space oh…never.

Frankly, I do not care if Air India is hemorrhaging cash or maintaining a payroll of twice the people it needs. As long as award space is released and the flights operate, I chalk this up as good news. Air India is NOT a world class carrier, but its new 787 aircraft has great business class seats.

Eveyrthing was ready to go last time around…literally the flip of switch would have synced Air India into Star Alliance…so the leadtime will be much shorter this time around. Air India expects to join Star Alliance in early 2014, though I would give it till next spring.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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4 Comments

  1. Terence Reply
    December 16, 2013 at 12:57 am

    Have you checked the post of SA on Facebook? it seems a done deal

  2. Matthew Reply
    December 16, 2013 at 1:12 am

    It is a done deal in terms of consent for Air India to join, but there was last time too…there may be some issues in the next month, though I hope not.

  3. James Santiago Reply
    December 16, 2013 at 3:45 am

    Air India is the absolute worst airline I’ve ever flown. Pilots don’t care how they fly, flight attendants do not care about customers, and tickets ting agents at both Mumbai/Bombay and Delhi airports made up their own baggage policies regardless of what it says on their own website.

    This should be Air India’s slogan…. “Air India, where we’re always surprised when we make it alive”.

  4. Rohan Reply
    December 17, 2013 at 8:52 pm

    Correction: Air India has actually added a few new trunk routes. It may no longer fly from ORD to BOM via FRA, but it flies nonstop from ORD to DEL and continues onto HYD.

    It has also added DEL-SYD-MEL-DEL and added DEL-BHM

    http://upgrd.com/aerospace/with-the-787-back-on-the-market-air-india-is-trying-to-step-up-its-game.html

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