TravTalk India Online Magazine
The agreement involving four airlines has an annual incremental revenue potential of over $1 billion for the Indian airline with seamless connectivity between India and Europe.
TT BUREAU
After beginning a three-way partnership in 2014 and then expanding it in 2016, the Jet Airways, Air France-KLM trio has once again enhanced its co-operation to include terms that has no precedent in the Indian aviation yet. Apart from offering an annual incremental revenue potential of over $1 billion for the Indian airline, this four-sided, metal neutral agreement opens up 106 destinations in Europe, 44 cities in India and more than 200 connections in North America for the Indian traveller.
Explaining this is Jean-Marc Janaillac, Chairman and CEO, Air France-KLM, who said, “For the first time, this innovative agreement will offer connections between two partnerships- the enhanced cooperation agreement for India-Europe between us and Jet Airways, and Air France KLM and Delta Air Lines’ Europe-North American joint venture.” Jet Airways, Air France, KLM and Delta Air Lines will thus connect India to a vast transatlantic network via the Paris-Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol hubs.
Speaking about the benefits India will reap through this, Naresh Goyal, Chairman, Jet Airways, added, “This partnership will be very good for our Indian customers, whether it is the travel trade or the direct traveller. We will, of course, continue to have a great relationship with our partner Etihad Airways. That partnership will remain undisturbed. I don’t know of any other country that has a more liberal aviation policy than India.” This metal-neutrality implies that a passenger can travel to one gateway and return from another gateway on any of the four airlines. After enhancing its Mumbai London frequency to third daily, Jet Airways is now looking for a Delhi-London slot.
