New Delhi: Qatar Airways is contemplating to launch an airline in India provided there is a very business-friendly environment in the country’s aviation sector, the chief executive of the group Akbar Al Baker said Thursday here. He also expressed wish to expand relationship with IndiGo.
The leading Gulf carrier, which has entered into a code share pact with IndiGo, would look at all opportunities in the Indian market that would not hurt existing relationships.
From its hub in Doha, Qatar Airways operates 102 weekly flights to 13 destinations in India and its cargo division has 28 weekly freighters to seven places in the country.
On plans to set up an airline in India, Akbar Al Baker told this agency that it could be looked at provided there is a very business-friendly environment in the aviation sector in India ‘which we don’t think it is’ at the moment.
In September last year, Baker had said the airline would wait for ‘another 12 months’ to decide on setting up an airline in India as it was seeking clarity on ‘ambiguous’ foreign ownership norms.
On what has changed in the Indian aviation sector, Baker said there is a new minister and he is very forward looking. “He (minister) is aggressive and I hope that he will see this huge potential of the Indian aviation market and let it to be realised,” Baker, informed.
Without providing specifics, he also said the airline has a very big wish to partner and expand its relationship with IndiGo.
“At the moment, I cannot say very much because we still have to work to get our systems compatible with each other for passengers from both airlines to be able to utilise this code share potential,” said Baker.
Under the code share agreement, which is expected to be operational in December, Qatar Airways would place its code on IndiGo flights between Doha and three destinations – Delhi, Mumbai and Hyderabad.
“This is the first step of making a stronger commercial relationship with IndiGo. This code share on three destinations from India to Qatar will be a very big boost to the volume of passengers that IndiGo carries,” he informed.
Code sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence.
Baker also said the airline is currently not looking at Air India. The government is in the process of finalising the contours for the divestment of the national carrier.
“Qatar Airways is right now not looking at Air India but that doesn’t mean we are not interested. There are labour issues. If there is a strong investor for Air India, then the demand of the unions will increase. Mark my words for that,” Baker said.
The airline, which has a fleet of over 250 planes, flies to more than 160 destinations across the world.
PTI