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Jet Airways has entered into code share pacts with Air France-KLM enabling the European airlines to sell tickets on Jet's domestic routes.
Etihad Airways which is picking up 24% stake in Jet Airways already has a code share agreement with Air France-KLM but is not a member of any airline grouping such Star Alliance, oneworld or SkyTeam.
Star Alliance is keen to rope in Jet Airways along with Air India. Air India's membership to the alliance has been put on hold while Jet too sought government approval to join the alliance.
Jet Airways had sought approval to enter into a code share partnership with Lufthansa which is a founding member of Star Alliance.
An aviation source said the marketing tie up with Air France-KLM suggests that Jet Airways is going the SkyTeam way. SkyTeam members also include Delta Airlines, Korean Air, Kenya Airways, Saudia Airlines amongst others.
The codeshare agreement will allow Air France to place its marketing code on Jet Airways’ domestic flights to three major Indian cities beyond Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai. Customers travelling from Europe to India on Air France flights will now be able to connect with one ticket to Chennai via Bengaluru, Delhi and Mumbai, and to Kolkata, Hyderabad via Mumbai and Bengaluru. Likewise, KLM will place its marketing code on Jet Airways’ domestic flights to four major cities in India beyond Delhi, allowing guests travelling from Europe to India to connect to Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad and Mumbai via Delhi.
Typically code share agreements are reciprocal but the two sides did not announce the routes on which Jet Airways will place its code. Jet Airways did not respond to a query on the issue.
Currently none of the Indian airlines are part of airline groupings. According to Centre for Asia Pacific Association, nearly 70% of international capacity from India is by airlines which are unaligned. Star Alliance has 12.9 % share of capacity. oneworld has 10.1 % while SkyTeam has 6.6 % share in capacity. The code share agreement will help SkyTeam to grow its share in India.
