It has been a long and bumpy road, but Air India has finally reached its destination. In a few days' time, on 11 July to be exact, the Indian carrier will join the ranks of Star Alliance, adding 400 daily flights and 35 new destinations to the alliance's network. Star Alliance made the integration official on 24 June: "We relaunched the integration process with Air India last December and, just six months later, we are ready to confirm the official integration date", says Jeffrey Goh, COO of Star Alliance.
The arrival of Air India, a key player in a strategic market, will enable the alliance to significantly increase its market share, from 13% to 30%. In addition, the alliance will have 27 member airlines, operating some 18,500 daily flights to 1,316 destinations in 192 countries. "It is an honour and a privilege to be the first airline from India to join the alliance," says Rohit Nandan, CEO of Air India, adding: "Air India has worked hard to meet the exacting expectations of the alliance before joining.
