Airliners-India.com

Aiel · Member Joined: 19 Dec 2006 Posts: 927 Location: Bangalore

Maharaja of Indian skies rivals a perky commoner

THE mist over Indian skies is clearing up, more than 15 years after they were declared "open", with the emergence of not one, but two mammoth airlines.
A merger of the state-owned Air India and the largely domestic Indian Airlines began in February after 20 years of discussion, overturned decisions, heartburn and opposition. Even as the merger process is initiated, two private sector airlines, Jet Airways and Sahara, closed contentious talks and court battles and pipped them in the race, with money changing hands overnight, as it were.

One will retain the name Air India, and the other, Jet Airways. Air India’s "Maharaja", that lovable, portly moustachioed man in red coat and huge turban, will continue flying on the red carpet as its mascot.

The competition between the pioneer prince, elegant but so far slothful, with aging aircraft and aged crew, and the perky younger commoner, by no means a pauper, will be worth watching.

The consolidation of Indian aviation, long overdue, has just begun. That the two mergers took place one after the other, in a matter of eight weeks, indicates a sense of urgency and gives hope for a better future.
But only hope — much needs to be done and it is a long haul.

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