The Hindu Business Line : Air Sahara in talks with global airlines to increase connectivity

IN a move to provide greater international air connectivity to its passengers, Air Sahara is in negotiations with six international airlines including Air New Zealand, the Indonesian airline Garuda and Thai Airways International to have interline agreements.

Besides, the airline is also in talks with American airlines to start a non-stop flight between Delhi and Chicago, the airline President, Mr Rono Dutta, told newspersons on the eve of the launch of direct flights between Delhi and Singapore.

"We hope to have the interline agreements in place within a week. This will offer the passenger a single check-in to the final destination," he said, adding that Air Sahara had also applied to the authorities for flying non-stop between Delhi and Chicago.

"We are looking at a joint flight between Delhi and Chicago where Air Sahara and the airline we tie-up with shares both the costs and revenues," Mr Dutta said.

He, however, declined to divulge the names of the American airline that was involved in the talks but added that, "We are talking to airlines that are big in Chicago."

Meanwhile, to get over the shortage of pilots, Air Sahara has employed three expat pilots and plans to hire another 10 soon.

Expat pilots could be Indians from abroad or foreigners.

The recent poaching of its pilots by other airlines forced Air Sahara to suspend flights on the Kolkata-Hyderabad-Chennai and Hyderabad-Vizag sectors till June this year.

The sudden departure of pilots has also forced the airline to cancel between four to six flights a day during May.

The airline has already got a court injunction against pilots and two start-up domestic airlines for poaching on its pilots.

It is now awaiting the appointment of an arbitrator who should help firm up the quantum of civil damages the airline can seek.

The airline has also launched two-night three-day packages to Singapore that have been priced at Rs 17,200.

"We will offer a truly international product on board our new flight. The business class passengers will be provided hand-held DVDs to view movies," Mr Dutta said.

The airline will have seven flight attendants for 138 passengers on the plane.

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