British Airways and Kingfisher Airlines to Codeshare

British Airways and Indian carrier Kingfisher Airlines are to start codesharing on each other’s flights across India, Sri Lanka, the UK and continental Europe from 15 September 2010.

This is the first time that British Airways has codeshared with an Indian airline. British Airways’ code will be placed on 11 domestic Indian routes and one route to Sri Lanka operated by Kingfisher Airlines while Kingfisher Airlines’ code will be placed on nine British Airways’ routes from Heathrow to the UK regions and continental Europe.

 The airlines’ customers will be able to book their whole journey on each other’s websites, earn frequent flyer points on the codeshare routes and gain access to each other’s airport lounges.

British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, said, “Last year we proudly celebrated 80 years of flying to India and it remains one of our most important longhaul destinations. The codeshare with Kingfisher Airlines will give our customers easier access to Indian domestic routes and Sri Lanka flying on a young, dynamic, high quality airline. Our relationship with Kingfisher Airlines is further enhanced by their decision join oneworld and we look forward to building a strong working relationship with them.”

Kingfisher Airlines chairman and chief executive, Dr Vijay Mallya, added, “I am delighted that British Airways has entered into a codeshare arrangement with Kingfisher Airlines practically within months of the announcement that Kingfisher Airlines is lining up to join oneworld. It is therefore only appropriate that the first codeshare arrangement is with British Airways who is also our oneworld sponsor. The codeshare with British Airways will mean that our guests from India will now be able to fly seamlessly to nine new European cities. Besides making onward connections much simpler, this will mean enhanced connectivity and reach for guests travelling with us to Europe. Similarly, all British Airways’ flyers will now be able to travel with India’s first and only five star airline.”

British Airways flies from Heathrow to Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. Its code will be placed on Kingfisher Airlines flights from Bangalore to Chennai, Coimbatore and Kochi; Chennai to Coimbatore and Colombo (Sri Lanka). Delhi to Bangalore and Kolkata; Mumbai to Bangalore, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad and Kolkata.

Kingfisher Airlines flies from Delhi and Mumbai to Heathrow. Its code will be placed on British Airways flights from Heathrow to Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Manchester, Amsterdam, Brussels, Dusseldorf, Lisbon and Paris.

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