The Air India deal: What's likely to attract potential suitors

There are at least six compelling reasons for its rivals to consider making a strong bid for India's flagship carrier

The buzz around the Air India privatisation plan is getting stronger by the day. So far, no data room has been created for potential bidders to make their own assessments. Yet a range of airlines — domestic and international — have already expressed their interest in making a bid. Based on media reports, there are at least three sets of suitors: Tata-Singapore Airlines, Jet-Air France-KLM-Delta, and IndiGo-Qatar. After Delta’s name surfaced, the two other major US carriers, United and American Airlines, have apparently also begun sniffing around.

Exactly how many of them will emerge as serious bidders will be known