Frenemies at the Gate: The Lufthansa - Air India Moment feat. Kevin Markette (Head of Sales-South Asia, Lufthansa Group)

Episode 61  Just as the aviation industry digests the news of the Lufthansa-Air India MoU and the arrival of the Allegris cabin in New Delhi, we sit down with Kevin Markette, Head of Sales for South Asia at Lufthansa. In this deep dive, we move past the press releases to answer the questions Indian frequent flyers actually care about. From the challenge of choosing between five different business class seats to the million-dollar question: when will every Lufthansa flight from India finally have guaranteed direct aisle access? The Big MoU: How a stronger Air India changes the game for the LH Group.Hardware wars: Allegris vs. SWISS SENSES—which routes are next?The Narrow-body Long-haul: Is the Group finally softening its stance on the A321XLR?The Queen & The Giant: The future of the 747-8 and A380 in the Indian skies. Kevin walks us through why India matters, how upgauging and aircraft shortages shape strategy, and what flyers can expect from premium cabins, new routes, and alliance dynamics. We dig into Munich–Bengaluru demand, Frankfurt–Hyderabad strategy and more. The Indian AvGeek streams on all podcast apps. Vishal on X