Singapore Airlines has signed a joint venture framework agreement with Japan’s All Nippon Airways (ANA) to improve connectivity offered by the two carriers and provide smoother access to a much wider network, according to media reports.
The deal will focus on flights between Japan and Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, and Australia.
Both Singapore Airlines and ANA also signed the deal to stay competitive in the busy and crowded Southeast Asian aviation industry.
The deal will focus on providing connectivity to both Singapore Airlines and ANA’s customers. The two carriers will offer joint mileage programmes to its customers and better coordination on check-in baggage and connecting flights.
The two carriers already have a codesharing agreement which allows them to sell seats on the other carrier’s flights. The new deal will allow the carriers to adjust flight timetables to make connections easier and also cut fares to boost demand.
The deal is subject to regulatory approval. Once approved, Singapore Airlines will become the third airline to have a joint venture agreement with ANA. The Japanese carrier has signed similar agreements with United Airlines in 2011 and Lufthansa Group in 2012.
Last year, Singapore Airlines signed an agreement with Malaysia Airlines to expand their existing codeshare routes. According to the agreement, SilkAir, which is owned by Singapore Airlines, will codeshare on 16 domestic locations with Malaysian Airlines, while allowing the former to codeshare on flights to Europe, South Africa, among other destinations.
During the same period, Vistara, in which Singapore Airlines owns a 49 percent stake, also signed a codeshare agreement with the Singapore-based carrier.
In a press release, Vistara said that Singapore Airlines and regional subsidiary SilkAir have signed an agreement with Vistara to expand codesharing to international routes.