India's Air India enters into codeshare pact with Japan's All Nippon Airways

Tata Group's Air India and All Nippon Airways (ANA), both members of Star Alliance, have officially commenced a codeshare agreement. 

The new collaboration, which will start on May 23, will allow both airlines to share flight codes, effectively enhancing connectivity between India and Japan. With this partnership, passengers can book a joint ticket that works for flights on both airlines, simplifying the travel process.

What benefits does this alliance offer?

The codeshare agreement brings several perks for travellers, including access to premium services like priority boarding and lounge access, the standard for Star Alliance members.

These benefits aim to enhance the flying experience by providing a smoother and more comfortable journey. The codeshare flights are already available for booking starting from April 23.

Air India highlights the strategic importance of the partnership

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Officer at Air India, highlighted the strategic importance of the partnership, stating, "This codeshare agreement with All Nippon Airways marks an important step forward in connecting India and Japan." 

"This collaboration broadens our network connectivity and offers our guests seamless travel experiences and a wider choice of flights between the two countries. We look forward to a successful collaboration with ANA and exploring further avenues for cooperation in the future," Aggarwal said.

"We look forward to building this strategic partnership with Air India, as it is a significant step towards furthering stronger air connectivity and enhancing customer experience between Japan and India," said Katsuya Goto, Executive Vice President of Alliances and International Affairs. "This collaboration is a testament to ANA's commitment to improving the air travel experience for all of its travelers and we hope this will lead to a seamless travel environment between our two nations."

How will this affect the airline's networks?

This partnership allows Air India to add its 'AI' designator code to ANA’s flights between Tokyo's Haneda and Narita airports and Delhi, as well as Narita to Mumbai.

Conversely, ANA will place its 'NH' code on Air India's flights from Narita to Delhi. This bilateral arrangement is expected to expand further, with additional destinations being considered for inclusion in the near future.