New conditions by Star Alliance unacceptable: Ravi
August 10th, 2011 - 7:16 pm ICT by IANS
New Delhi, Aug 10 (IANS) The government Wednesday said the new conditions imposed by the international airlines association - Star Alliance - to induct national carrier Air India were unacceptable.
“The alliance has recently put forward additional conditions that cannot be accepted,” Civil Aviation Minister Vayalar Ravi informed the Lok Sabha without disclosing the new conditions.
According to the minister, the national carrier had earlier missed two previous deadlines of joining the alliance, but later fulfilled them.
“The deadline for complying with the minimum joining requirements (MJRs) could not be achieved by Air India due to delay in implementation of a single ‘AI’ code and the new passenger service system (PSS),” the minister said.
On Aug 1, Star Alliance in a letter to the Air India chairman and managing director Arvind Jadhav said that its executive board was unable to decide on the induction date, no other reason was given to the flag carrier.
The national carrier was extended an invitation to join Star Alliance in December 2007 in Beijing, with Lufthansa as the sponsor. But delays in software and other operational integration after the merger of Indian Airlines and Air India had put paid to plans.
Global interline packs like Star Alliance and Oneworld entail several benefits to member carriers like improved product offering, better service standards, access to new markets and premium customers and partnership with leading global carriers.
Formed in 1997, Star Alliance is a consortium of 27 airlines, including Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Swiss, among other major airlines of the world. Its members have over 4,000 aircraft and serve 181 countries.
- Star Alliance defers Air India's membership - Aug 01, 2011
- Star Alliance to decide Air India's induction date Sunday (Lead) - Jul 30, 2011
- Kingfisher to join oneworld airline alliance from February - Dec 19, 2011
- Air India to join Star Alliance by July - May 20, 2011
- Government officials, Star Alliance to talk next week - Jul 14, 2011
- Air India to join Star Alliance by March 2011 - May 15, 2010
- Air India set to join Star Alliance by July 31 - Jun 06, 2011
- 'Talks progressing Air India's induction into Star Alliance' - Jul 18, 2011
- Star Alliance to decide on Air India's induction date - Jul 30, 2011
- Air India logged on to SITA passenger service system - Mar 29, 2011
- Indian Airlines is history as 'IC' code formally merges with 'AI' - Feb 26, 2011
- Kingfisher to join Oneworld alliance of global airlines - Feb 23, 2010
- Oneworld awarded best airline alliance award - Dec 02, 2011
- 'Air India may have to wait longer to join Star Alliance' - Jan 23, 2010
- Continental joins Star Alliance, but Air India waits on tarmac - Oct 28, 2009
Tags: air canada, air india, airlines of the world, arvind, carrier air, civil aviation, flag carrier, global carriers, indian airlines, international airlines, jadhav, Lok Sabha, major airlines, member carriers, national carrier, operational integration, singapore airlines, star alliance, thai airways, vayalar ravi