Air-India to join Star Alliance

Air-India received the vote of acceptance to be a member of Star Alliance, one of the oldest and largest airline alliances, at an annual board meeting held at Beijing today.

Air-India would be inducted as a full member. The final induction would take place in a few months, once the integration process is completed. Air-India will also shortly finalise its European hub, either in Munich or Vienna.

Air-India will be the twenty second member of the Star Alliance, which has Lufthansa as one of the major players and a founding partner and 19 other airlines as full members.

"In being selected as a future Star Alliance member, Air-India will add value to passengers patronising member airlines of the alliance," said V Thulasidas, chairman and managing director, Air-India in a media release from Beijing.

Passengers travelling in partner airlines will have access to privileges such as round-the-world fare products, seamless transfers through 897 airports across the globe, lounge access and other benefits.