Air France and KLM have agreed an interline link-up with the Asia-Pacific based Jetstar group, which includes Australian-based Jetstar, Singapore-based Jetstar Asia/Valuair and Vietnam's Jetstar Pacific.
The agreement links all Jetstar ports, numbering almost 60 across the region, with Air France and KLM hubs in Paris and Amsterdam.
Budget carrier Jetstar’s only previous interline arrangement with a full-service carrier was with Qantas, its parent company.
Interlining is an agreement between two or more carriers, where the airline accepts travel tickets issued by their partners for multi-sector journeys on different airlines. There is no need for the partners to be in the same airline alliance or to have more formal codeshare agreements.
The main advantages of interlining are that the tickets are often cheaper than buying separate connecting tickets and there are facilities for through baggage check-in.
Marnix Fruitema, senior vice-president, Asia Pacific, Air France KLM, said: “This is a strategic move toward improving our product offering in this fast growing region of the world. By joining forces with Jetstar, we are offering more choice in destinations between Europe and the Asia Pacific.”
David Koczkar, Jetstar executive manager commercial, said: “Today’s announcement represents the first interline agreement that the Jetstar Group, made up of our growing networks across the Asia Pacific region, has collectively signed with another airline.
“This partnership with one of Europe’s most established carriers will provide new opportunities for customers to more easily travel to the almost 60 destinations across the Asia Pacific region that Jetstar serves, including through our growing Singapore hub. It also supports Jetstar’s position as the largest low-cost carrier in Asia Pacific.
“I also expect that this partnership will have a positive impact on increasing accessibility for customers within our domestic networks in Australia, New Zealand and Vietnam, leading to significant benefits for each of these local tourism industries,” Koczkar said.
www.airfrance.com
www.klm.com
www.jetstar.com
Kenny Coyle
