Singapore Airlines (SIA) and SilkAir have inked a codeshare agreement with India’s full-service carrier Vistara to extent services on international routes. Under the agreement, SIA and SilkAir will add nine new codeshare destinations -- Chandigarh, Dibrugarh, Jammu, Leh, Pune, Raipur, Ranchi, Siliguri and Srinagar -- with India on Vistara-operated flights.
SIA will add its ‘SQ’ designator code to Vistara’s new international flights. Similarly, Vistara will add its ’UK’ designator code to SIA- and SilkAir-operated flights between Singapore and eight destinations in India, including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Cochin, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai and New Delhi. As a part of the agreement, Vistara will gain access to 44 destinations in the SIA and SilkAir network which include the destinations across Australia, New Zealand, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Japan and the USA.
“Vistara is an important partner for SIA and SilkAir. This expansion of our codeshare agreement provides our customers with more travel options to and from India. We congratulate Vistara on the launch of its international services, and are proud to be Vistara’s first codeshare partner for its international flights,” said SIA Senior Vice President Marketing Planning, Mr Tan Kai Ping on the new association.
According to Vistara’s Chief Strategy Officer, Mr Vinod Kannan, the codeshare agreement with SIA and SilkAir is an opportunity for Vistara to become a global brand. “Vistara found its first codeshare partners in Singapore Airlines and SilkAir, and now we are further expanding the agreement to international flights with them. We’re happy to deepen this strategic partnership which means a more seamless flying experience for travellers from India to destinations across Asia, Oceania and the United States. Our customers will enjoy world-class products and services whether flying from India to points abroad beyond Singapore or into and within India from the rest of the world,” he responded.
The new codeshares will be implemented in phases and are subject to regulatory approvals. The codeshare flights will be made available through SIA and Vistara booking channels once necessary regulatory approvals are obtained.
