This rumor has been going on for quite some time now. Here is the latest from a not so well known newspaper- not sure if its true...
http://www.domain-b.com:80/companies/companies_a/air_india/20070809_star_alliance.html

Air India to join Star Alliance
9 August 2007

Air India (AI) is getting ready to join the Star Alliance, a club of 17 international airlines, by the end of this year. This will help increase its connectivity worldwide through code sharing.

Other members of Star Alliance include Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, US Airways, Air Canada and Air New Zealand, among others. The members collectively fly to 855 destinations in 155 countries.

"The heads of member airlines of the alliance will unanimously induct Air India in December," a civil aviation ministry official said.

Civil aviation minister Praful Patel had met Star Alliance CEO Jaan Albrecht on 7 August to discuss AI's joining the alliance.


Air India chairman and managing director V Thulasidas was to meet Albrecht today (8 August) to discuss the modalities of joining the league.

I have been asking this for quite time time *A has no NYC-LON routes, one which I tend to fly often. I can deal with the horrors of AI for 7hrs since their fares are often well below every other carrier on this route.

I have been asking this for quite time time *A has no NYC-LON routes, one which I tend to fly often. I can deal with the horrors of AI for 7hrs since their fares are often well below every other carrier on this route.Make it 15 hours+ sometimes....if they have to bring the aircraft down from DEL for the routing to LHR...or visa-versa...

Horror stories galore on AI...

Jet is the way to go for Star Alliance, but as soon as Jet decides on an alliance, I think I might be swayed away...and once "critical mass" is acheived by Jet for European routes...forget LH and FRA - crazy stuff there...

But Jet has to also modify their FF reward for miles program, which truly sucks, but then, they have more than *enough* FF'ers, and are watering the program down day-by-day, and *still* filling planes!

Low economy fares get hardly *any* miles....

Star Alliance extends a formal invitation to AI.... Link (http://www.indianexpress.com/printerFriendly/250137.html)

Star Alliance extends a formal invitation to AI.... Link (http://www.indianexpress.com/printerFriendly/250137.html)

Good god.. and I thought that *A had some quality bar that had to be achieved. AI handling of _any_ irregular ops is FUBAR .. they set a new low standard in that category.

Good god.. and I thought that *A had some quality bar that had to be achieved. AI handling of _any_ irregular ops is FUBAR .. they set a new low standard in that category.

ehhh. star alliance is all about size. they will take almost anyone. if you want quality, try one world.

ehhh. star alliance is all about size. they will take almost anyone. if you want quality, try one world.

I am top tier elite on all three alliances. Each has its strengths. AN RTW on Star gives a lot more choices than on OW or Skyteam.

Air India brings a vast network and one of the top carriers by size in the world (fleet size expected to be over 100). It gives Star a strong foothold in the second fastest growing aviation market (next to China and sometimes growth faster than China). Granted 9W/Jet Ariways would have been a better choice but LH had a deep relationship with AI for a while and there seem to be other calculations.