India Post News Service

FREMONT: Air India felicitated its top consolidators in an award ceremony on February 28 at the Bombay Garden restaurant in Fremont. Along with chief guest P. S. Rajagopal, Regional Manager, USA and Canada, Air India was represented by Lalit Kapur, Manager- West Coast and Ferdoas J. Nagarvala, Area Sales Manager for the West Coast.The top four awardees were Skybird Travel, Mazda Travel, Hari World Travel and GTT Travel. Rajagopal handed out the plaques and thanked everyone for their support.

A raffle draw and dinner followed.Air India is expanding- with more planes being ordered over the next three years, it is also increasing flight frequency and carrier presence in major US markets. In the future, there will be direct Air India flights from San Francisco to India, maybe Bangalore and Delhi. Meanwhile code share flights will continue.

Air India has also been invited to join the Star Alliance, the oldest and largest such airline alliance in the world. When it comes into effect in 2009, it will benefit frequent flyers and occasional travelers alike.

On the domestic front, Air India merged with India Airlines in 2007 to provide an airline with the most connectivity and penetration into interior India. The competition has definitely benefited travelers as train and air fares in India approach parity when compared along with convenience, comfort and speed.As air travel between US and India, both business and tourist, increases exponentially, it is being matched if not outstripped by the demand for domestic air travel.

The ubiquitous Air India symbol, the Maharaja, is seen farther afield as India's national airline spreads its wings. With new planes and routes, the Air India Maharaja is set to take off into the stratosphere.