It would appear that Star Alliance remains focused on seeing an Indian carrier join the global alliance, despite issues with prior efforts to integrate Air India into the group. Jet Airways has long been considered the likely candidate to join the alliance but such a move requires the permission of the Indian government. That permission has now been formally requested.
It is hard to know if the Indian authorities have gotten over their state carrier being denied entry into the group sufficiently to allow for a move such as this to happen. That said, they were willing to allow Kingfisher to join oneworld, right up to the point that Kingfisher more or less collapsed on itself. So it isn’t alliances in general which are on the out. Still, the fact that Star Alliance denied Air India entry to the group could be troubling for Jet’s application.
Gaining a partner in the Indian markets will be a huge win for any of the global alliances, assuming any of them can actually make it happen. Access to domestic and regional flights ex-India as part of a marketing alliance is one of the biggest gaps globally today.
Related Posts:
- Kingfisher suspended from IATA clearinghouse, delayed from oneworld
- Kingfisher set to join oneworld. If they can stay in business.
- Star Alliance, Air India link "on hold"
- Air India: Shining Star or Black Hole?
- SkyTeam, oneworld announce expansion
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