Air India could team up with BA and join OneWorld?
 

Air India and the Indian Government have now officially given up on joining Star Alliance according to several reports in the Indian papers recently. Jet Airways looks to be given the go ahead to join Star any time soon.

Air India is now in discussions with OneWorld and Skyteam about joining of those alliances.

Now that is seems that Kingfisher is not going to last out and probably will not exist in 2013 should Oneworld and BA push Air India to be Oneworld's foothold in India?

Might as well get Air India in instead of them joining Skyteam. Skyteam already has China in the bag so Oneworld should snap up India before Sky get that as well.

Thoughts?

I can't quite see that happening. Not good enough for *A, so let's get it into OW? :confused:

Badly run, state owned airline company with a poor reputation - how's that going to integrate well with the big OW hitters??

There have been worrying reports about their safety standards too, so they're not seeing me on their planes any time soon.

I suppose but I was so disappointed when Kingfisher got their entry suspended and now it looks as if theyll go bust. Jet is going to Star. Looks like OW is going to miss out on yet another opportunity.

That being said Skyteam is full of badly run state owned loss making airlines so I suppose Air India will fit right in there :) .

Apparently as soon as Star suspended their application SkyTeam called them up and made them an offer.

But other reports are indicating nobody will want them and there is a possibility Air India could form a fourth alliance of 'reject' carriers with EL AL.

Good point...

Aerolineas Argentinas has joined Skyteam which doesn't inspire much confidence in that alliance.

I rest my case.

Skyteam are very welcome to have them if they want them as far as I am concerned.

As for the 4th alliance of reject carriers - I hope they'll set aside enough money for the marketing department!

What are you all talking about? Air India is an adventure! The thrill of not knowing whether or not your flight is going to depart today or tomorrow or at all, the DIY food and beverage service when the flight attendants disappear, the excitement of an unexpected landing prior to your ultimate destination when they discover they don't have enough fuel...

That sounds more like IT than it does AI.

Having a permanently staffed Twitter site is the way forward and needn't cost a fortune to run.

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:A...vC_j5OYQXb4wC0

Actually IT has a good chance to survive as a relatively small domestic carrier. Today they have better on-time performance that during 'almost Oneworld' days, but cancellations do happen.

This did actually make me laugh out loud.

Oh well then there is a small possibility that IT will maybe join OW some time in the distant future then as a small domestic carrier????

They would fit right in with Scaryteam..

what would they name a 4th alliance?

NoWorld?

SkyScream?

Car alliance? (cause you will most likely be getting to your destination by car ;) )

you would be surprised. Air India's recent track record is excellent. I flew them a few times last year domestic and also mid haul. The space you get on domestic flights is better then Jet, the First Class product on the 777 beats the old BA F seat any day.

I, unfortunately, have had to do regular long-haul economy with them. Adventure.

Unless recent means "the last few days", I do beg to differ.

Dear lord, please keep AI out of OW! The whole point of OW was supposed to be quality over quantity, unlike ST or *A. (Of course, the demise of Mexicana and Malev leave something to be desired, and I have yet to figure out exactly why IB and RJ are relevant to the alliance other than letting EU pax avoid the hellhole that is MIA on the way to SA, and perhaps a handful of ME destinations not served by BA). Hoping the pending addition of Malaysia keeps the standards up...

This just won't happen. AI/IA are the epitome of unreformed state-owned behemoth with no customer service.

I would rather Oneworld took Indigo onboard than anyone else in the region, and nurtured its growth.

Grot Team?

I hope Oneworld don't go after this mess of an airline, with half of their pilots not showing up to work and numerous bailouts and I wouldn't put it past them to be very unsafe.

Oneworld's access to India will be via SriLankan Airlines and a gulf carrier (hopefully QR). It appears like all the Indian legacy carriers are basketcases not worth persuing so, so the next best choice is a carrier with a large Indian network like QR or EY. There aren't enough legacy carriers to give every alliance an airline per country (except USA for example) but they manage to survive. For example Skyteam doesn't have a British airline but you can get to most major and smaller British cities vis AMS with KLM, a similar sentiment can be said for the gulf carriers providing OW with an Indian network.

Travelling AI is like setting a foot back into the 60's. Any other Indian carrier would be better.

Air travel in the 60s was in many ways far better than AI today...

http://www.pprune.org/rumours-news/4...ning-spat.html

http://www.pprune.org/south-asia-far...hilarious.html

The height of professionalism.

A fine example of the 'extras' you can experience when flying Air India! 8 hours of quality meditation time!

(I am going to apply for a marketing job at this new grotty airline alliance :D)

PIA has more chance of joining Oneworld than Air India.

Indeed.

It makes you wonder what the Skyteam entry qualifications are when you allow an airline which is being subsidised to the tune of $200m a month entry into the alliance.

Yes, for sure. But which alliance will be able to enlist JS (Air Koryo) ?

:cool:

Air France is also a member! Scary stuff

But if prices in the 90s were so expensive, I can only imagine in the 60s...
(looking at old receipts YVR-HKG)

they have said they want to join star

My guess is Skyteam

Unlike Star and OW they NEVER seem picky

Why can't Kingfisher just join oneworld

They may actually become profitable after they join!!

Have you flown with RJ before? I have. And RJ is great! It is definitely above AY and IB in terms of product and service. Certainly better than MX and MA when they were alive. It might not as good as CX or BA. But certainly in line with AA in some way.

Judging by the response in this thread, OW would have a small revolt on its hands if it invited AI.

Perhaps 4th network shoul be 'Axis of Evil Alliance'
 

Welcome to 'Axis of Evil Alliance' taking you to places the other alliances don't (or can't)!

Made up of Air Koryo, IranAir (Which I have flown and was not bad), Cubana,
Conviasa (representing Chavez's Venezuala), Syrian Arab Airlines, and for European coverage Belarus' Belavia.

Bit weak in North America coverage but once reach life time membership on partner FF Programmes you get free Scud Missiles, Ayatollah blow up dolls, video of Fidel Castro's longest speeches, and copies of Hugo Chavez best selling autobiography 'The US Prez and I'.

Motto 'You can check in, but never check out'

RJ is good because they must compete with EY, EK, QR which offer close connection points in the area as well. And, both EY and EK also have better coverage as standalone airlines than RJ.

Qualiflyer?