AI to operate direct Mumbai-New York serives from June

Chennai, May 2 (UNI) Air India (AI) will operate non-stop services between Mumbai and New York from June, its Chairman and Managing Director V Thulasidas said today.

Addressing a press conference here after signing a joint venture agreement with Singapore Airport Terminal Services (SATS) for ground handling facilities for Bangalore International Airport, he said AI would operate similar non-stop direct flights to destinations in US from various Indian cities.

He said the agreement would be valid for a seven-year period, starting from 2008.

The new development comes in the wake of signing a joint venture agreement between AI and SATS last year, for the provision of cargo handling services at Bangalore International Airport after a similar consortium secured one of the two 15-year long cargo handling concessions for the Airport.

He said the AI had an excellent track record of working with SATS. He hoped that it had the best combination of expertise to make Bangalore Airport a forerunner in world-class airports, not just regionally but globally.

President and CEO of SATS Ng Chin Hwee said, ''this marks their second collaboration with AI-- the first being cargo handling venture in Bangalore.'' The SATS network of ground handling and airline catering operations spans over more than 34 airports in the Asia Pacific region.

MORE UNI