Air Sahara, Indus Air in alliance talks
By Our Corporate Bureau | 04 Dec 2006
Mumbai: Air Sahara is in talks with upcoming low-cost carrier Indus Air, being promoted by Kapil Mohan of the Mohan Meakins group among others. The strategic tie-up proposal includes providing pilots, engineers and maintenance support among others.
"We have been approached by the Indus Air for certain support. They need some help," Air Sahara president Alok Sharma said, adding, "We could provide pilot, engineers and maintenance facility to Indus Air. They need support for the CRJ aircraft of the Bombardier."
Air Sahara and Indus Air have approached the director general of civil aviation (DGCA) for permission of such an arrangement.
Air Sahara, Sharma said, is open to such strategic alliance, which could be operational or marketing support.
This would mean an additional revenue stream for Air Sahara, which is trying to consolidate its business after the failed takeover deal by Jet Airways. The Lucknow-based airline currently operates 134 daily flights and had recently increased seats from 12,000 to 17,000.
Air Sahara plans to add two new routes on the Raipur and Amritsar routes in the next two months, while on the international front the airline is expected to soon announce two new destinations.
Indus Air expects to start service soon and has already got a CRJ aircraft. The airline proposal which has been in the air for quite some time now is yet to take off.
