Airlines Singapore Airlines could be interested in Air India

  • Singapore Airlines

According to an interview, Singapore’s flag carrier Singapore Airlines could be interested in the acquisition of struggling Air India.

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The Indian Government has announced the privatization of Air India in June 2017. As the committee, which is working on the sale process, prepares to invite initial bids in the next weeks, several airlines show interest.

Now, a Singapore Airlines manager has stated, that the carrier has an open mind on making an initial bid for the Indian Star Alliance partner Air India. 

The fast growing Indian aviation sector is an interesting market for Singapore Airlines.  Today, Singapore Airlines, together with its subsidiaries, operates over 150 daily flights between Singapore Changi Airport and several Indian destinations. In 2013 Singapore Airlines founded the domestic carrier Vistara together with the Indian company Tata Sons, which commenced operations two years later. Currently, the airline operates a fleet of 15 Airbus A320 and five A320 Neo from its hub at Indira Gandhi International Airport in New Delhi. The acquisition of parts of Air India could boost Singapore Airlines’ ambitions to become a major player on the Indian market.

Beside Singapore Airlines, several other carriers are said to be interested in acquiring Air India. Last week, media reported Air France/KLM, Delta Air Lines and the Indian competitor Jet Airways plan to place a joint bid for Air India. Additionally, the Indian low cost carrier IndiGo could be interested in acquiring parts of Air India.

Air India operates a fleet of over 110 aircraft, mostly Airbus A320 Family aircraft as well as a Boeing long-haul fleet. Its low cost carrier Air India Express, which is based at the Calicut International Airport, has a fleet of 23 Boeing 737-800. The subsidiary Alliance Air is Air India’s regional carrier and operates a fleet of 16 ATR 42 and ATR 72. The airlines are suffering losses for the last years.

Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier of the South East Asian country. The main carrier operates a fleet of 111 Airbus and Boeing long-haul aircraft. Its full service regional airline subsidiary SilkAir offers flights to regional destinations with a mixed Airbus A320 Family and Boeing 737 fleet. In 2011, Singapore Airlines founded its low cost unit Scoot, which operates over 40 aircraft on short-, medium-, and long-haul flights.

Source © AVIPEO.COM

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