Mumbai: The 81st annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association proved to be productive for Air India as the airline signed two codeshare agreements and four interline partnerships with various airlines. These agreements will expand the airline's reach to Europe, Southern Africa, Central Asia and the Baltic region.
On Tuesday, Air India announced interline partnerships with airBaltic, Bulgaria Air, Cyprus Airways, and Uzbekistan Airways, significantly enhancing connectivity to Europe, particularly the Baltic region and parts of Eastern Europe and Central Asia. The partnerships are said to provide Air India passengers seamless travel options to 16 more destinations across six countries in these regions, while providing easier access to India to the passengers of the respective partner airlines.
Air India & Iceland Air |
Air India & Uzbekistan Airways |
About The Partnership With Air Baltic
The partnership with airBaltic will provide access to Riga in Latvia, Tallinn in Estonia, and Vilnius in Lithuania via Air India’s European gateways at Amsterdam, Paris, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, London Gatwick, Milan-Malpensa, Vienna, Zurich, or Dubai. Similarly the Bulgaria Air partnership will provide access to Sofia via Air India’s gateways at London Heathrow, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, Zurich, and Tel Aviv, supporting travel to the vibrant Eastern European city. Air India passengers will also be able to take further onward connections from Sofia to other Bulgarian cities of Varna and Burgas.
About The Partnership With Cyprus Airways
The partnership with Cyprus Airways is said to provide access to Larnaca in Cyprus via Air India’s European gateways at Paris, Milan, and Dubai, opening one of the Mediterranean’s key cultural and economic hubs for Indian travellers. The Uzbekistan Airways partnership will provide access to Tashkent from Delhi, Mumbai, and Goa-Mopa, as well as further onward connections from Tashkent to Bukhara, Qarshi, Nukus, Urgench, Termez, Samarkand, Fergana, and Namangan.
Air India & Air Baltic |
Air India & Cyprus Airways |
Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial officer at Air India, said, “These four new interline partnerships significantly enhance Air India’s global reach and open seamless pathways to vibrant cities across some of the most important emerging markets of today. Our partnerships with airBaltic, Bulgaria Air, Cyprus Airways, and Uzbekistan Airways, bring more travel options and smoother journeys for our growing base of customers worldwide as well as reinforce India’s rising status as a key global aviation hub.”
About The Agreements With Air Mauritius & Iceland Air
Notably, Air India also signed codeshare agreements with Air Mauritius and IcelandAir on Tuesday for 17 routes across the Southern Africa region and 15 routes across India and Europe respectively.
Air India & Air Mauritius |
While Air India already codeshares on Air Mauritius flights between Mauritius and Mumbai, Delhi, and Réunion, the new codeshare will expand the partnership to a total of 17 routes between India, Mauritius, Réunion, South Africa, and Madagascar. Air India will place its ‘AI’ designator code on Air Mauritius flights to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, and Antananarivo in Madagascar, for Air India passengers to seamlessly travel to these cities via Mauritius on a single ticket and baggage checked through to their final destination.
Under the codeshare agreement with IcelandAir, Air India customers will gain seamless access on flights to Reykjavik (KEF) via Air India’s European gateways. Air India will add its ‘AI’ designator code on Icelandair-operated flights between Reykjavik and London Heathrow, London Gatwick, Frankfurt, Paris, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Milan, and Zurich. Similarly, Icelandair customers will benefit from convenient connections on Air India-operated flights to Delhi and Mumbai
Commenting on the partnership with Air Mauritius, Air India’s CEO Campbell Wilson, said, “India is one of the largest tourism source markets for destinations in Southern Africa, including Mauritius and South Africa, as well as a strong trade partner to the region. This expanded codeshare partnership with Air Mauritius is another step toward widening our extended global network, which enables our customers to easily access these destinations.”
