Japan Airlines (JAL) and IndiGo, India’s leading airline, have announced a codeshare partnership aimed at providing more travel options between Japan and India. This collaboration will enable Japan Airlines to expand its reach to 14 domestic destinations in India via IndiGo’s extensive network.
Through this partnership, JAL, which currently operates daily services between Tokyo Haneda and Delhi and thrice-weekly services between Tokyo Narita and Bengaluru, will significantly enhance its connectivity across India. The codeshare agreement will allow JAL to connect with major Indian cities including Mumbai, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Kochi, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchirappalli, Pune, Lucknow, Varanasi, and Goa.
The codeshare agreement will initially cover domestic routes within India that connect to JAL’s flights from Delhi and Bengaluru. This strategic move is set to benefit customers by offering seamless connectivity and a broader range of travel options. In the future, the partnership aims to extend to include codesharing on JAL-operated flights, further integrating the networks of both airlines.
Abhijit DasGupta, Senior Vice President of Network Planning & Revenue Management, IndiGo, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “We are pleased to expand our portfolio of codeshare partnerships with this agreement with Japan Airlines. Japan has been increasing in popularity among Indian travellers, as both countries are working to strengthen bilateral relationships and ease visa norms. This phase of the partnership expands the choices available to Japan Airlines customers for journeys to/from Japan using IndiGo’s extensive network in India.”
Malaysia Airlines announced an increase in Amritsar-Kuala Lumpur flights from 4 to 7 weekly starting August 1, 2024 following a previous frequency boost in January. This raises their total weekly flights in India to 71. Amritsar, launched in November 2023, is among the new routes, alongside Ahmedabad and Trivandrum. The airline connects nine Indian hubs to popular international destinations.
Ross Leggett, Managing Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of Route Marketing, Japan Airlines, added, “We are excited to announce our new codeshare partnership with IndiGo, having the largest domestic network in India and offering high-quality service to customers. With the extensive network, travellers to/from India and Japan will be able to book their flight on one ticket and experience both IndiGo and JAL’s exceptional service.”The codeshare partnership is slated to commence in the winter 2024 schedule, subject to government approval. This initiative marks a significant step in enhancing bilateral travel and strengthening economic ties between Japan and India. Further details regarding the specific codeshare routes will be announced in due course.
Planned codeshare routes:
– Japan Airlines Operated Flights: Tokyo – India (Haneda – Delhi, Narita – Bengaluru).
– IndiGo Operated Flights: Domestic services to 14 Indian destinations connecting to JAL-operated Tokyo-India flights.
This strategic partnership between Japan Airlines and IndiGo is poised to create new opportunities for both business and leisure travellers, further solidifying the connectivity between Japan and India.
