Babu

Folks,

I closed Part I, as it morphed into a rude, emotional shouting match about all things Air India. A few people sent me PMs with a reqest to discuss AI and *A. I am opening a new thread for us to do just that.

Let's keep this thread professional and on topic, and not a venue to endlessly rant about your love or hate for the airline.

One final request. Please allow others to express views without dominating the conversation.

Thanks,
Babu
Moderator, Airlines of India

rsh913

Well Democracy is messy. But never argue with an idiot.

To continue this thread I am a little disappointed with AI planning to cancel their 787 orders. Specially since they're in AI liverly now.

http://tinyurl.com/3vb5c5b

I do hope that they're part of *A by july 31. I have a J class trip with fam ORD-DEL in Oct and need the miles towards my MnM status for this year.

Yaatri

Thanks to our moderator for restarting a conversation on the topic, although speculation is all but over.

Excellent advice. I have no intention of arguing with you, ( ) but what does your link have to do with AI joining * Alliance?
It is news though.

Yaatri

It appears to be almost certain that AI will be joining *Alliance soon, much to the dismay of some of the members.
AI to meet Civil Ministry officials to finalise Star Alliance entry date
Executives of Star Alliance and Air India are to meet Govt of India and Ministry of Civil Aviation officials to discuss AI's progress in meeting membership requirements finalise the date of entry.
Star Alliance, AI officials to meet Govt soon

It seems that this thread will be obviated soon since AI's entry the date of entry is likely to be confirmed before too long.


It will be a relief to have the confirmation because, it not only does it remove confusion in the minds of those who have flights booked on AI or plan to book a flight, but also ends silly speculation and ridiculous reasons why AI doesn't belong in *A.


It still leaves the question of whether Jet Airways will join an alliance and which one, wide open to speculation.

hyho61

AI should make the Star alliance and in return LH may get 380 slots for DEL. Does this mean that on day one, one can start earning Star Alliance miles on AI and redeem. I thought there was waiting period after joining.

Yaatri

I don't know if there is any specific rule that there must be a waiting period. If an airline is leaving an alliance or ending a code share or agreement, I can see the need for an advanced notice so that travellers can change their travel or redemption plans without suffering negative consequences. But when an airline joins, I can't think of a reason to delay mileage earning date.

rathin100

When TAM joined *A the joining date was the day you could begin accumulating *A points. Status recognition was granted with Red becoming *Gold, blue *Silver so all those benefits kicked in immediately alliance wide (though i was at Frankfurt 3 days after TAM joined, and the LH lounge dragon very politely said..err do you know TAM's airline code sir? :-) )The redemption options came 2 months later. In 5 months TAM joined the cross alliance upgrade set (optional)

Keyser

so true....

whatever the result is, i just hope it happens or doesn't happen soon....

sriramkri

i hope they join the star alliance as I hope to redeem some miles for an upcoming trip to India

LAX

I just don't understand why some people would be against AI (or any airline) joining *A. If its standard is not up to par, just choose a different carrier for one's flying. The presence of AI really doesn't afffect someone when one chooses to fly another carrier.

LAX

JGPH1

I for one would be absolutely astonished if AI makes it into *A. Their IT alone is reason enough to withdraw their slot and give it to a proper airline. Their much vaunted new SITA Res system is a piece of crap, can't even respond to a simple seat request, and their website (although luckily for AI not an entry criterion into *A) is appalling. Web check-in routinely fails, the booking you display on the website bears no possible relationship with the booking in the SITA host, it's garbage. It is a fact that currently no airline hosted in SITA has been accepted for Alliance membership, and all SITA carriers joining alliances in the past have switched away from SITA to Amadeus or Sabre before they join, in order to meet entry requirements. Aegean and Ethiopian are classic examples. I look forward to the end of July.

Yaatri

I suspect it's a certain group of people. My guess would be that it's the Indian members of *Alliance. While it's true that AI has issues that need to be fixed. Some people just have an aversion, almost an allergic reaction to AI. They would rather have any other Indian carrier, but AI.
I too feel the same was as you do. If AI doesn;t meet their needs or expectations, they don;t have to fly AI. *Alliance is the largest allliance and offers a choice of many airlines, but only for international travel. AI would be the only Indian carrier in the alliance.
If AI joins * Alliance, they won't be able to accrue miles for flying within India, as they would not, under any circumstances, fly AI.
I look at it this way. In absence of AI, they would not have any opportunity to earn miles within * Alliance anyway. AI joining * does not make the situation worse. It simply perpetuates the current situation.
Since Kingfisher has gone to OneWorld, they can't hope for IT to join *Alliance. Opponents of AI aren't able to accept the situation that already exists.
Every one would like one or another airline to join their alliance. Often an airline, that people of an alliance don't like, joins the alliance. They express their displeasure too. But I have never seen such sustained crusade against an airline as that seen with AI joining *Alliance.

People had the same kind of negative opinions with Aeroflot. Some still do. But it wasn't bad at all. An impression once made, whether thoroufh personal experience, or by hearsay, is difficult to get rid of. Their opposition is resolute, that they have not given up hopes that AI might not meet the requirements. Only time will tell whether they will or will not meet the requirements. I look at stubborn predictions about AI not being allowed to join *Alliance, as wnothing more than wishful thinking. But who knows!!

hellothere

Me too. What has been the case for previous new members? If AI joines July 31st, can we expect to be able to book rewards tickets on August 1?

onlysuites

I couldn't agree more. Especially as right now most *A airlines can only get you to the main few airports and not to any regional ones. If I am paying a certain fare and get a free segment added in I am all for it. Even if its AI which I personally don't like to fly. But free is free.

But I have a feeling that *A will sort them out. They will have to bring their customer service to a decent level.

hyho61

I want to fly AI both for revenue and for reward, but there is the issue of reliability. The unions are continuouly threatening to strike at any time for a variety of reasons. With the cash flow problems, AI is having difficulty fueling the planes and paying salaries. Nobody wants to book a trip, fly one on direction only to find that the return trip is cancelled due to strike or other reasons.

However the inflight product of AI is still better than many US based carriers and I hope that AI joins star on time and on schedule.