Kolkata: Keeping in sync with the international trend, chairman and managing director V Thulasidas of Air India (AI) today (Sep 25, 2004) favoured that it should be merged with the domestic carrier Indian Airlines.

Speaking to reporters after the addressing the 53rd annual convention of Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) in Kolkata, Thulasidas said, "There is a need for a merger."

When asked whether this would actually take place, he said that it was a matter of policy decision to be taken by the Government.

The Air India chief said that in most cases, a strong international carrier was supported by an equally capable domestic carrier.

He said that the option was either to merge India Airlines with Air India or to transform the domestic carrier as a subsidiary of AI.

The Air India chief said that before pursuing the open skies policy further, the Government should strengthen the role of the national carrier to protect the economic interests of the country.

Saying that AI was not against opening up or liberalisation per se, Thulasidas said that time was ripe to ponder on why the country's carrier had not been able to play the role of a strong airlines in the international arena.