News
Rats keep gnawing at Air India as SkyTeam reaffirms its interest in Jet Airways
April 22nd 2016
Air India chairman, Ashwani Lohani, has ordered staff to refrain from eating in ramp areas at Delhi Indira Gandhi International Airport and requested space for a staff canteen at the capital airport after rats grounded three Air India long-haul flights that were departing or returning to Delhi in the last two weeks. Read More »
"We are tightening the maintenance and cleanliness of food hi-lifts by private caterers. I did a long inspection on the ramp today and am certain things will improve," Lohani said. This week an Air India Melbourne-Delhi flight was diverted to Singapore, following a rat sighting on board. Rodents were spotted on a Birmingham-Delhi service and while passengers were boarding a Delhi-Frankfurt flight.
In separate news, SkyTeam CEO, Perry Cantarutti, last week reaffirmed the alliance’s interest in recruiting Mumbai-based Jet Airways and Brazilian carrier, Gol Linhas Aéreas Inteligentes. SkyTeam lacks member carriers in both countries, unlike its rivals oneworld and Star Alliance. Speaking to Gulf News, the SkyTeam chief said the two carriers are top contenders for membership, given their existing relationships with the alliance’s carriers. Cantarutti underscored that SkyTeam was not "recruiting members” and that there have been no discussions on them joining. He said the alliance was seeing potential in getting an Iranian carrier on board.
Jet Airways is 24% owned by Etihad Airways and is part of the Etihad Airways Partners alliance.
In other India news, Bengaluru-based regional start-up, Air Pegasus, has tweaked the investment interest of several Middle Eastern carriers, according to its managing director, Shyson Thomas.
After the arrival of its third leased ATR72-500 last week, Thomas also told The Hindu Air Pegasus is in the process of raising two billion rupees ($30 million) to secure four additional -500 leases this year.
