Jet Airways could be the right alternative partner for Star Alliance after Air India failed integration.
Indian airline Jet Airways could finally turn into the right partner for Star Alliance after the process of integrating Air India into the global alliance collapsed. State carrier Air India is marred with internal problems of restructuring, from the incapacity to merge properly its operations with Indian Airlines to the modernization of its fleet or its IT equipments.
Announced in 2007, the procedure was due to be completed in 2010 but in the mid of August of 2011, Air India officially announced to postpone its Star membership. According to Indian newspapers, rival Jet Airways is now looking at replacing Air India for the world’s biggest airlines’ alliance. Lufthansa CEO Christopher Franz met mid May Jet Airways chairman Naresh Goyal as the airline plans to start to services to Frankfurt and Munich from next winter season. The meeting was also confirmed by German trade publication FVW. Jet Airways is already having an in-depth cooperation with Brussels Airlines at Brussels Airport, its largest operation on the continent. The announcement for an entry could however take a slow approach as the carrier is currently suffering from heavy losses due to rising fuel prices, high taxes and heavy competition in the Indian skies. However, a booming Indian economy and a rising Indian outbound travel continue to turn India into a promising market.
Luc Citrinot a French national is a freelance journalist and consultant in tourism and air transport with over 20 years experience. Based in Paris and Bangkok, he works for various travel and air transport trade publications in Europe and Asia.
