Air India on July 11 became the first carrier on the subcontinent to join an airline alliance -- and their pick was the Star Alliance. Passengers on India’s flag carrier now have access to the Star Alliance, which currently has 27 member airlines offering more than 18,500 daily flights serving 1,316 destinations in 192 countries.

Air India brings 400 daily flights and 35 new destinations in India to the Star Alliance.

And globally, passengers will further benefit from a wider choice on routes connecting North America, Europe, Asia and Australia via the Indian subcontinent.

The Star Alliance was formed in 1997, making it the first modern group of global carriers working to provide passengers with seamless travel. The member airlines are: Adria Airways, Aegean Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, Avianca, Brussels Airlines, Copa Airlines, Croatia Airlines, Egyptair, Ethiopian Airlines, EVA Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, South African Airways, SWISS, TAP Portugal, Turkish Airlines, THAI and United.

It’s been a busy year for the alliance. On June 4, the new Terminal 2 at London Heathrow Airport opened, which is finally giving the partners the chance to be co-located in one modern facility. Read my impressions of the United premium lounges at T2 here.  So far, United, Air Canada, Air China and ANA have moved into what’s being called the Queen’s Terminal.

The remaining Star Alliance airlines will move in by November. 

In May, the Star Alliance Lounge at Paris Charles-de-Gaulle’s Terminal 1 reopened after a two-month refurbishment. Among the changes are privacy dividers inspired by street maps of Paris neighbourhoods or black & white photographs taken by local photographers. while the actual square footage remained the same, seating in the lounge grew by 5 percent to 224.

The Business Class seating area includes different environments, including a library for those seeking a quieter space. The lounge has more power outlets, including USB sockets throughout the lounge. It features improved food and beverages, and a second refreshment station has been installed in the quiet zone. All users have free Wi-Fi, access to an outdoor garden where smoking is permitted and free newspapers and magazines. The toilets and two shower suites were also given a makeover. And in February, the Star Alliance won the Best Airline Alliance Award from Business Traveler Magazine.
 
Here are are some key Star Alliance numbers for 2013:

• Daily Departures: more than 18,000
• Annual Passengers: 637.62 million
• Countries served: 193
• Number of Employees: 439,232
• Airports Served: 1,269
• Fleet: 4,338

 
Our next airline alliance profile will be SkyTeam.