Air India on Friday formally became a member of Star Alliance, a conglomeration of 26 overseas airlines.
“This is an important day for us. We have said for many years that we needed a strong home carrier in the Indian market and by welcoming Air India to our Star Alliance family, we have achieved this goal,” said Star Alliance Chief Executive Mark Schwab.
Rohit Nandan, Air India Chairman and Managing Director, said: “Air India is proud to be a member of this prestigious airline Alliance. From today, we open up a completely different world for our passengers, who can now travel to over 1,300 destinations right across the network and enjoy world-class service, better connectivity and seamless travel.”
The biggest growth will come from Air India's home market, which till now was served by 13 Star Alliance members flying to 10 destinations.
An Air India aircraft bearing the Star Alliance logo and livery was unveiled by Mr. Schwab and Mr. Nandan at the induction ceremony at the IGI Airport, which is the airline’s hub.
Globally, Air India passengers will benefit from a wider choice on routes connecting North America, Europe, Asia and Australia via the Indian subcontinent.
