Qantas will launch new direct service between Sydney and Bengaluru, India, and plans a codeshare with IndiGo for onward connectivity to 50 cities. Both Qantas and Jetstar will also launch nonstop flights between Sydney and Seoul.
On Friday (April 8, 2022), Qantas announced an expansion of their Sydney gateway with new direct service to Bengaluru (India) and Seoul (South Korea). The carrier also plans to launch a codeshare partnership with IndiGo, which will offer seamless one-stop connections to 50 cities in India. Jetstar will also start service between Sydney and Seoul. Qantas’ nonstop Sydney-Bengaluru route will operate four times weekly with an Airbus A330 from September 14, 2022. The direct flight will cut off nearly three hours from the current fastest travel time available between the two cities. The new service will complement the carrier’s existing service between Melbourne and Delhi, which operates five times weekly.
Qantas and JetStar’s flights between Sydney and Seoul-Incheon will start later this year. Jetstar will become the only LCC to offer direct service to South Korea from Sydney, operating three weekly flights with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from November 2, 2022. Qantas will begin direct Sydney-Seoul flights on December 10, 2022, marking the airline’s first service to Seoul since 2008.
In Friday’s announcement, Qantas Group’s CEO, Alan Joyce, said,
“Sydney is one of the world’s truly global cities and these new direct flights to India and Korea will make it easier for millions of people to come here. It’s clear that Australia is back on the map for international travellers. Demand for our international flights has rebounded since borders reopened, and that’s giving us the confidence to launch these new routes together with the marketing support from Destination New South Wales. The signing of the Australia-India free trade agreement is a driver of travel demand as trade and investment links expand between Australia and India’s population of more than one billion people.
“Our new direct flights to Bengaluru, combined with the planned codeshare with IndiGo, have the potential to reshape the way many people travel between Australia and India. South Korea is Australia’s fourth largest trading partner and Koreans see Sydney as one of the top tourism destinations. With expected strong business, premium leisure and low-cost travel demand on the route, we see an opportunity for both Qantas and Jetstar to fly on the route.”
In addition to seamless one-stop connections via Bengaluru, Qantas’ proposed codeshare partnership with IndiGo will allow Qantas Frequent Flyer members to earn and redeem points on connecting IndiGo flights (QF code only). IndiGo will also recognize Qantas Frequent Flyer benefits for Silver, Gold, Platinum One tiered members, including priority check-in, extra baggage allowance, and priority baggage handling.
From late April 2022, the partnership will also extend to Jetstar customers who will be able to book IndiGo flights through a virtual interline partnership on the Jetstar Connect platform powered by Dohop.
In a separate press release from IndiGo on Friday (April 8, 2022), IndiGo’s Chief Commercial Officer, William Boulter, said,
“We are pleased to announce the partnership with Jetstar. This strategic agreement will enable both airlines to tap into the rising demand for international travel, especially during this summer holiday season. The partnership will enable customers to book interline flights between the two leading carriers and enjoy access to a wide variety of destinations across Asia Pacific. This partnership will help us expand our international connectivity to yet another continent through Jetstar’s network. We look forward to having Jetstar’s customers on our lean clean flying machine, as we extend to them our on-time, affordable, courteous and hassle-free travel experience.”
Jetstar’s Chief Customer and Commercial Officer, Alan McIntyre, added,
“The ability to partner with other LCCs through Dohop has opened-up a new world of possibilities, helping customers enjoy more seamless connectivity throughout the region. This new partnership enables Jetstar to offer our customers more destinations, more frequency and better connectivity, by combining our expanding network with IndiGo’s, all at the click of a button, fulfilling our vision to make more travel affordable. Jetstar Connect on jetstar.com provides more options for customers to access Jetstar’s great value fares and an expanded number of low-cost connections.”
IndiGo is one of the world’s fastest-growing airlines with a simple philosophy of providing low fares and courteous, hygienic, on-time and hassle-free service. The carrier operates a fleet of over 275 aircraft and offers over 1,500 daily flights to 73 domestic and 24 international destinations.
Source(s): Qantas, IndiGo