Air India is set to join Star Alliance, with the 28-member global airlines' grouping today deciding to clear the entry of the national carrier.
At a meeting in Vienna, the Star Alliance unanimously decided to lift the earlier suspension of the process for Air India entry into the grouping, Air India officials said here.
"We are confident that the association with Star Alliance would go a long way to strengthen both of us," Air India CMD Rohit Nandan was quoted as having said after the meeting in Vienna.
The Alliance had put the proposal for Air India's entry into the grouping on hold since July 2011 on the grounds that the airline had not fulfilled major conditions to join it, a charge the Indian carrier had then denied.
Once the airline becomes a member, its passengers would enjoy major benefits, including seamless transfers on travel across the world, more frequent flyer mileage points, code- sharing leading to a wider choice of flights and access to over 1,000 lounges at airports worldwide.
The Star Alliance network offers 21,900 daily flights to 1,328 airports in 195 countries. Its 28 members include top airlines like Lufthansa, Singapore Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, South African Airways, Austrian, THAI, Turkish Airlines, United Airlines and US Airways.
At one stage, Jet Airways was also vying with Air India to join the grouping.
