Jet Airways, India's premier international airline, and Emirates Airline, the award-winning international carrier with extensive services from India, have announced their partnership plans spanning a reciprocal frequent flyer arrangement and unilateral code share agreement.
Effective December 15, 2008, the two airlines will launch a reciprocal frequent flyer arrangement whereby members of Jet Airways' JetPrivilege, India's largest frequent flyer programme, may earn and redeem miles across Emirates' rapidly-expanding international network, with the exception of flights between India and Dubai. Members of Emirates' Skywards programme may also earn and redeem miles on all Jet Airways flights operating within India.
The same day, Emirates will also commence a unilateral code share on Jet Airways' daily flights from Mumbai and New Delhi to and from Dubai, offering passengers enhanced connectivity and a range of services between India and Dubai.
Jet Airways operates daily services on the Mumbai/New Delhi-Dubai sectors aboard its state-of-the-art Airbus A330-200 and B737-800 aircraft respectively, with a two-class configuration: Première (Business) and Economy. Jet Airways' flights on these sectors will be identified with its '9W' code as well as with the Emirates 'EK' code.
According to Mr. Wolfgang Prock Schauer, Chief Executive Officer, Jet Airways: "Dubai is an important market for Jet Airways and there is significant demand from our customers to travel to and beyond Dubai. We are delighted to be able to get this exciting, new agreement up and running quickly for the benefit of our customers. The frequent flyer partnership with Emirates, particularly, is a mutually beneficial one, enabling JetPrivilege members to tap into Emirates' impressive international network while earning and redeeming frequent flyer miles, and vice-versa vis-à-vis Jet Airways' unmatched pan-India domestic network."
Mr. Salem Obaidalla, Emirates' Senior Vice President Commercial Operations, West Asia, Indian Ocean and Africa stated: "The agreements between Emirates and Jet represent a significant step forward in strengthening the relationship between our two airlines and between long-standing partners, India and the UAE. The pact will enable us to offer passengers enhanced flexibility and at the same time it will boost trade and commerce between the two countries."
Currently, Jet Airways also has code share agreements with Air Canada, American Airlines, ANA, Brussels Airlines, Etihad, Qantas and JetLite.
About Jet Airways:
Jet Airways currently operates a fleet of 85 aircraft, which includes 10 Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft, 11 Airbus A330-200 aircraft, 52 classic and next generation Boeing 737-400/700/800/900 aircraft and 12 modern ATR 72-500 turboprop aircraft. With an average fleet age of 4.38 years, the airline has one of the youngest aircraft fleet in the world.
Flights to 68 destinations span the length and breadth of India and beyond, including New York (both JFK and Newark), San Francisco, Toronto, Brussels, London (Heathrow), Hong Kong, Singapore, Shanghai, Kuala Lumpur, Colombo, Bangkok, Kathmandu, Dhaka, Kuwait, Bahrain, Muscat, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The airline will continue to connect existing international destinations with additional gateway points across its network in the future.
Jet Airways currently operates over 370 flights daily.
About JetLite:
JetLite is a wholly owned subsidiary of Jet Airways India Ltd. and was acquired by Jet Airways in April 2007. Positioned as an all-economy airline, JetLite promises to offer value for money fares. JetLite currently operates a fleet of 24 aircraft, which includes 17 Boeing 737 series and 7 Canadian Regional Jets 200 Series. The airline flies to 26 domestic destinations and 2 international destinations (Kathmandu and Colombo), currently operating a 110 flights a day, on average.
Jet Airways, with the acquisition of JetLite, today has a combined fleet strength of 109 aircraft and operates over 480 flights daily.
