Air France-KLM and Jet Airways signed (29-Nov-2017) an "Enhanced Cooperation Agreement" for the development of operations between Europe and India. The agreement strengthens the partnership between the airlines established in 2014. The cooperation was expanded in 2016 with an extensive codeshare agreement for connections between Europe and North America and India. Air France-KLM chairman and CEO Jean-Marc Janaillac said the agreement is the "first cooperation agreement of its kind on the India-Europe market, one of the markets at the heart of the group's strategy for the coming years", adding that the airlines are "innovating within the airline industry by offering connections between two partnerships for the first time". He noted more than 1.2 million passengers are handled between India and Europe across all airlines, half of whom are travelling onward to North America. Details are as follows:
- Commercial and product offering: The enhanced cooperation agreement will see Jet Airways, Air France and KLM working together to develop their commercial and product offering. Coordination of sales and services will be included in the agreement;
- Network: The agreement covers an extended network and increased capacity between Paris, Amsterdam and India. The recent launches of Amsterdam-Mumbai service by KLM and Bengaluru-Amsterdam and Chennai-Paris services by Jet Airways are the first examples of this ambition. For the 2017/18 winter season, Air France, KLM and Jet Airways will operate 64 weekly services between the Paris CDG and Amsterdam Schiphol hubs and Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Chennai. From Paris CDG, Air France and Jet Airways operate 33 weekly frequencies to Bengaluru, Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai. From Amsterdam Schiphol, Jet Airways and KLM operate 31 weekly frequencies to Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru;
- Connectivity: Improved connecting opportunities through adapted flight times via Paris CDG, Amsterdam Schiphol, Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Chennai;
- FFP: Increased cooperation across the Flying Blue and JetPrivilege loyalty programmes on the airlines' networks worldwide;
- Cargo: Air France- KLM Cargo and Jet Airways Cargo signed a MoU which aims to strengthen their cooperation in the cargo sector.
The agreement will complement Air France-KLM and Delta Air Lines' trans Atlantic partnership. [more - original PR]