Munich, Vienna on Air India’s European hub shortlist

Air India has announced that it has short listed Munich and Vienna as potential sites for its European hub, and expects to decide on one of these sites over the next few months. Company officials said that their decision would be based on connectivity, incentives and costs.

Initially, the carrier plans to operate there from Kolkata.

Air India chairman and managing director, V Thulasidas, had earlier stated, "Apart from London, we will have a second destination in Europe which will also be our hub… We are looking at airports which are big but smaller than Heathrow or Frankfurt".

The Munich airport is Germany''s second largest airport and ranks eighth amongst all European passenger airports. Austria''s Vienna Airport is currently undertaking an upgrade programme and plans to construct a second terminal.

Air India will become the second Indian carrier to have a European hub following Jet Airways, which recently settled on Brussels, Belgium as its base.