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Ashwini Phadnis

New Delhi , Jan. 17

THE successful completion of new Air Services Agreement (ASA) between India and the US could prove a boon for passengers flying with Air India.

Taking advantage of the flexibility on offer under the proposed agreement, AI is all set to not only increase the frequency of the current flights it operates to the US but also look at launching flights to more destinations including San Francisco, Washington and either Houston or Dallas in Texas.

When contacted, the AI Chairman and Managing Director, Mr V. Thulasidas, said, "We will be happier to comment on the agreement after we have the final version."

However, officials felt that the soon-to-be-initialled ASA with the US had lots of elements of liberalisation that will benefit the airline and its passengers.

"Earlier, AI could operate to either Los Angeles or San Francisco. But now we can operate to any number of cities in the US. Our first objective will be to have daily flights to the US cities where we do not have them at present. Then we will look at expanding further into the US market," officials said.

The agreement, the broad guidelines of which were firmed up during the recently concluded visit of the Minister for Civil Aviation, Mr Praful Patel, to Washington, is likely to be signed during the forthcoming visit of the US Transportation Secretary to India.

The immediate plans of the airline will see it shortly operate one more flight to Chicago and two more flights to Los Angeles so as to be able to offer passengers a daily service to these US cities from India during this year itself.

Besides, AI will also look at operating to Washington D.C., although officials say that in the beginning it will not be a daily flight.

"While we hope to be able to launch additional flights to Los Angeles and Chicago by summer this year, we plan to launch flights to the other destinations in the US between now and next year," officials said.

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