British Airways, IndiGo Offer Better Connectivity Between India and UK With Codeshare Partnership

Indian carrier IndiGo and U.K. airlines British Airways shook hands on an agreement to further boost connections between the two countries.

The announcement, made Thursday, revealed that British Airways would be adding its code onto a couple of destinations across IndiGo's network. Bookings reportedly opened Thursday, allowing customers to choose from improved travel options between India and the U.K. for flights from Oct. 12, subject to government approvals.

Codesharing agreements allow airlines to book seats for their passengers on their partner carriers' flights. This way, their customers can travel to destinations where the airline does not have a presence yet.

Currently, British Airways has 56 flights that fly in and out of five Indian cities -- Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad -- every week. The codesharing partnership with IndiGo will allow the U.K. carrier to offer three additional routes to customers. These routes include Rajkot to London Heathrow via Mumbai, Vadodara to London Heathrow via Mumbai and Thiruvananthapuram to London Heathrow via Mumbai.

"British Airways has been flying to India since 1924, making it one of our longest-served and most valued destinations. Our partnership with IndiGo means that customers will be able to book their entire journey on one ticket, allowing seamless travel all the way from London to their final destination, offering more choice and flexibility for customers," said Neil Chernoff, director of Network and Alliances, British Airways.

IndiGo, a low-cost airline, is India's biggest carrier in terms of fleet size and market share. The carrier already has codesharing partnerships in place with Turkish Airlines, Qatar Airways, American Airlines, Air France-KLM, Australian carrier Qantas and Virgin Atlantic in addition to its interline pact with Jetstar.

"We are excited to announce our codeshare agreement with British Airways. This partnership expands the choices available to British Airways customers for journeys to and from London Heathrow, using IndiGo's extensive network in India," said Abhijit Dasgupta, senior vice president – Network Planning and Revenue Management, IndiGo.

"This step to provide seamless connectivity will not only support trade and commerce between the two countries but also offer convenient travel options to students and tourists. With burgeoning demand for international travel, we will continue to enhance international connectivity and remain committed to our promise of providing on-time, affordable, courteous, and hassle-free travel experiences to our customers," Dasgupta added.