IANS MUMBAI AIR-INDIA (A-I) plans to join the Star Alliance network by July 31 this year, the company said on Monday.

“In a meeting of the Star Alliance’s Chief Executives Board, the Star Alliance GmbH apprised the readiness of Air-India to join Star Alliance by July 31, 2011.

Air - India is looking forward to join the alliance as scheduled,” Air-India Chairmancum- Managing Director Arvind Jadhav said in a statement on Monday.

Jadhav gave this assurance to the Chief Executives Board of Star Alliance carriers at a meeting held with them in Barcelona, Spain on last Friday.

Formed in 1997, Star Alliance is a consortium of 27 member airlines including Lufthansa, Air Canada, Singapore Airlines, Thai Airways and Swiss, among other major airlines of the world.

It has a fleet of more than 4,000 aircraft at present serving 181 countries.

Star Alliance has certain minimum joining requirements, which involve development and testing systems, and procedures to harmonize the product with other members.

The process of integration of Air-India into Star Alliance is progressing well to meet all joining requirements and Air- India is looking forward to become a member of the alliance within the targeted time frame, the official said.

The next stage would be a meeting of Star Alliance and Air-India’s representatives with the Government of India and Ministry of Civil Aviation officials to take stock on the progress made by A-I to join the international airlines’ network.

The meeting is also expected to finalise the date of A-I’s formal entry into Star Alliance.

A-I currently operates flights to 63 domestic destinations and has a network of 33 international destinations with a fleet size of 127 which includes Airbus A319, 320, 321, 310, 330, Boeing B-737-800, B-777 and 747 apart from ATR-42 and CRJ aircraft.