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BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
14 July, 2005: Air Sahara has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with British Airways to launch joint fare products and explore ways to have a code sharing agreement in the future. This is likely to be of immense benefit to passengers as the move signals the beginning of mutual co-operation as both the carriers plan to increase flight schedules between the two countries.
Under the agreement, signed Thursday, the carriers have agreed to evaluate schedules, routes, flights, ground services and frequent flyer programmes. The two airlines will also explore the potential for code sharing opportunities in the future. However, this is subject to government approvals, Air Sahara president Ronojoy Dutta told reporters.
An immediate outcome of the deal would be rolling out of a joint fare system for the travelers, which would be 10 to 15 per cent cheaper than point-to-point fares and redeeming of frequent flyer points of the respective airlines.
The alliance would also help passengers to get a single stop check-in and access to lounges of both the two airlines across the world.
The carriers intend to expand the MoU to a full-fledged agreement by the end of the year.
Air Sahara has received approvals to operate daily services from Delhi to London’s Heathrow airport, which would commence by the end of the year. It has also sought permission for additional flights to London from next year, in addition to flights to Bangkok and Hong Kong.
At present, British Airways operates daily services from London to Mumbai and Delhi, thrice per week service to Kolkata and twice a week service to Chennai. Five times a week flights to London and Bangalore by October this year is also in the offing.
British Airways would also increase flights between London and Mumbai from a daily service to double daily and from London to Chennai from two flights per week to six per week, from October this year.
According to British Airways’ Commercial Director Martin George, the airline will increase frequencies between United Kingdom and India by more than 100 per cent, including the beginning of a totally new route between Bangalore and London Heathrow airports.
The airline will increase frequencies from the current 19 to 45 from March 2006 and to 56 from winter this year. Flights to Delhi and Mumbai will be doubled, while that to Chennai and Bangalore would be increased five-fold, he said.
Answering a question, Mr Dutta said that the Sahara airlines would compete aggressively with the British Airways and other airlines on its routes, but complement British Airways on other routes.
He said Sahara would launch its flights to London this winter and has got seven slots at Heathrow. It would add frequencies next summer.
BY OUR AVIATION CORRESPONDENT
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