India’s biggest airline rivals set to form alliance
Two of India’s biggest airlines, Jet Airways and Kingfisher, are looking to join forces to fight the economic crisis.
Longtime rivals, the airlines’ respective chiefs Naresh Goyal and Vijay Mallya have agreed a pact aimed at protecting the longterm survival of the loss-making airlines they control.
The Times of India reports that the two aviation czars are forming an operational alliance that will command nearly 50% market share of the domestic skies.
The deal may ultimately lead to a consolidation once one of the players has access to funds to buy out the other, says the Times.
The alliance is expected to trim losses being suffered by both carrier and will embrace code-share agreements, route rationalisation and shared services.
Kingfisher has been forced to drastically cut down on its owner’s ambitious international expansion and trim aircraft orders.
Aviation minister Praful Patel said with huge losses and no early sign of recovery from the current turmoil the “writing was on wall” for a Jet-Kingfisher alliance.
By Ian Jarrett in Asia
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers flexible payment options for European travellers
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt
Digital Travel Reporter of the Mirror totally seduced by HotelPlanner AI Travel Agent
Strike action set to cause travel chaos at Brussels airports
All eyes on Qatar as Qatar Airways leads a season of global events