IndiGo is keen to start long-haul low-cost flights, as the carrier explores a fundamental change to its business model by looking to acquire international operations of Air India. “Air India’s international operations would bring a very important element to our network,” IndiGo’s co-founder Rahul Bhatia told analysts on a conference call to discuss the airline’s move to buy into the unprofitable and highly indebted carrier. “It will provide a rapid entry into restricted, and in some cases, closed international markets.” Bhatia and fellow co-founder, Rakesh Gangwal, held the call to allay concerns after the company’s announcement to bid for Air India wiped out more than US$500m in market value for IndiGo. Surviving on a taxpayer bailout, Air India hasn’t made a profit for about a decade and has piled up debt of about $7.7b. <br/>
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SAS has confirmed that London Heathrow will be the first base outside Scandinavia to be used by its new, Ireland-based operating unit. SAS is seeking new bases that have lower overheads than in Scandinavia, where labour costs are notoriously high. Its Irish unit also plans to open a second base in Malaga, southern Spain. An SAS spokesman said Heathrow had been its first choice from the outset, partly because of the carrier’s long association with the west London airport and partly because of customer demand: “I don’t think it’s ever been an option to fly from another airport,” he said. SAS president and CE Rickard Gustafson has previously said the aim is to start operations from the new Heathrow base from Nov 1. The spokesman said Thursday that the exact date is still to be confirmed. <br/>
United Airlines has apologised to a Hawaii teacher who was forced to hold her 2-year-old son on her lap for 3.5 hours after an employee gave the toddler's purchased seat to a standby passenger. Shirley Yamauchi says she paid almost US$1,000 each for 2 tickets because children over the age of 2 are required to have their own seat. She boarded the plane in Houston with her son, Taizo, and they took their seats. The teacher says a flight attendant came to check if Taizo was present before a standby passenger showed up with a ticket with the toddler's seat number. Yamauchi says she told a flight attendant about the problem, but the woman just shrugged, said the flight was full, and walked away. The company issued an apology 5 days after the incident. <br/>