India's two largest private airlines Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines on Monday joined hands and announced an alliance for sharing of their network and resources to meet the challenge of aviation downturn.

Announcing the alliance, both Naresh Goyal of Jet and Vijay Mallya of Kingfisher said that the coming together was in tune with the global practice of reducing killing costs and clarified that there was no equity involvement.

"This is a long-term alliance on a sustainable basis and not a matter of convenience," Goyal, emerging after a two-hour long meeting with Mallya told newspersons but declined to take any queries saying they would answer when the two visit Hyderabad Airshow on Tuesday.

"Both the parties recognise economic realities and benefits of the alliance it is a meeting of both mind and heart," Mallya said.

The Alliance would bring the two airlines, which account for nearly 60 per cent of market share, to work together on seven fronts, including route and code sharing as also sharing of crew, a move that would help them cut exorbitant cost that had been putting enormous pressures for the last 4-6 years.

Asked if the alliance could lead to a merger or equity participation, Goyal said, "There is no equity involved we will give details when we meet at Hyderabad Airshow on Tuesday."

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the two corporate honchos said, "While maintaining their legal entities and brand entities, both Jet and Kingfisher will examine co-branding opportunities and have formed core committee of senior management personnel from both companies who will drive the various identified initiatives forward with immediate effect."

Goyal, accompanied by wife Anita who is also Director, Marketing, of Jet, Executive Director Saroj Dutta, CEO, COO and other top officials, walked into Mallya's office for working out the details.

"Both Jet and Kingfisher fully realise that better understanding of supply and demand in this capital and labour intensive industry is the key to profitability and enhancement of shareholder value,” Mallya said.

"I look forward to this alliance delivering superior quality, cost savings, flexibility and enhance consumer value, which is the hallmark of all successful alliances," he added.

While Jet had earlier acquired ailing Air Sahara, Kingfisher had taken over the crisis-ridden Deccan to emerge stronger till the rising costs and global meltdown hit them hard with each of the entity losing about Rs 10 crore per day.

The two corporate leader had met Aviation Minister Praful Patel last week, presumably to get his approval, for the alliance.

Both Mallya and Goyal said had the alliance not come through, the two could have suffered and paved way for going back to monopoly days in the Indian sky where state owned entities alone operated.

As per the agreement reached between Jet Airways and Kingfisher Airlines, the two carriers would cooperate in eight areas. They are:

•    Code-sharing on both domestic and international flights, subject to DGCA approval.

•    Interline/Special Prorate agreements to leverage the joint network deploying 189 aircraft, offering 927 domestic and 82 international flights daily.

•    Joint fuel management to reduce fuel expenses.

•    Common ground handling of the highest quality.

•    Cross-selling of flight inventories using the common Global Distribution System Platform.

•    Joint network rationalisation and synergies.

•    Cross-utilisation of crew on similar aircraft types and commonality of training as also of the technical resources, subject to DGCA approval.

•    Reciprocity in Jet Privilege and King Club frequent flier programmes.

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