Air India is to expand its codeshare network with newly-minted shareholder Singapore Airlines, adding more than 40 new domestic and international points from late-October.
The move marks the first time in nearly 15 years the two carriers are expanding their codeshare partnership.
From 27 October, Air India will add its code on SIA flights from Singapore to cities in Southeast Asia, Australia/New Zealand, as well as North Asia. The 29 points include Sydney, Perth, Auckland, Denpasar Bali, Phnom Penh, Manila, Seoul Incheon, as well as Tokyo.
In turn, SIA will add its code to 12 Air India international points from Delhi, Bengaluru and Mumbai, including Colombo, Copenhagen, Birmingham, Nairobi as well as Jeddah.
SIA will also add its code to Air India domestic flights from Delhi and Mumbai, such as to Goa, Coimbatore, Varanasi, and Lucknow.
SIA and Air India, both of whom are also Star Alliance members, will codeshare each other’s flights between Singapore and Bengaluru and Chennai.
Air India currently codeshares SIA flights between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok and to the USA, It also has its code on SIA flights to Kolkata.
Air India commercial chief Nipun Aggarwal says: “This is a continuation of our effort to offer our guests more choice and an extended global network. Air India and Singapore Airlines have been longtime partners, and with this expanded scope of our codeshare agreement, we are excited to offer our guests greater connectivity to destinations across South East Asia, the Far East, and Australasia.
Says SIA’s chief commercial officer Lee Lik Hsin: “[The expansion of the codeshare agreement] demonstrates our commitment to meeting the high demand for air travel between India and Singapore and beyond, and contributing to the growth of both aviation markets. Adding Air India’s domestic network to our codeshare arrangements will also offer our customers enhanced connectivity and convenience in India, which is a key market for the SIA Group.”
The move comes as Air India merges its operations with sister unit Vistara, with whom SIA already codeshares.
Air India, which privatised in early 2022 under new owners Tata Group, expects to fully integrate Vistara’s operations by the end of the year.
Vistara was a joint venture between the Tata Group and SIA, which will have a 25.1% stake in the newly-merged Air India.
Story amended to state that the codeshare agreement is not inherited from Vistara.
