Singapore Airlines And Virgin Australia expand codeshare

Singapore Airlines (SIA),  the flag carrier airline of Singapore, and Australia's second-largest airline Virgin Australia (VOZ) has announced the expansion of their codeshare agreement to cover further destinations in Australia, Asia, Europe and the United Kingdom.

With immediate effect to all domestic destinations, Virgin Australia is now offering access to 32 Australian cities to Singapore Airlines customers. SIA will also expand codesharing to include trans-Tasman flights between Australia and the New Zealand cities of Dunedin, Queenstown and Wellington, subject to regulatory approval, in the coming months.

In the first quarter of 2013, Virgin Australia will in turn extend its current codeshare with SIA to cover connections from the East Coast of Australia to Europe, the United Kingdom and additional cities in Asia, via SIA’s hub in Singapore. Virgin Australia currently codeshares on SIA flights to Europe and the United Kingdom from Adelaide, Perth and Darwin. In total, Virgin Australia customers will now have access to 64 destinations in Asia and 12 destinations[1] in Europe on the SIA and SilkAir networks from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth and Darwin.

“This codeshare expansion is a major step forward in our deepening partnership. With more cities covered, Singapore Airlines and Virgin Australia can together offer even better connections for our customers between Singapore and Australia, as well as through our Singapore hub to many more points around the world,” said SIA Executive Vice President Commercial, Mr Mak Swee Wah.

Virgin Australia Group Executive of Alliances, Network and Yield, Ms Merren McArthur, said: “There is strong demand from our customers to be able to travel onwards from Asia to Europe. We currently offer this option to customers from Adelaide, Perth and Darwin, and today’s announcement will see this expanded to include the East Coast of Australia. We also welcome the expansion of Singapore Airlines’ codeshare on our domestic services as it will help to promote tourism in Australia.” Source : SIA And Virgin Australia Announce Codeshare Expansion

A codeshare agreement is an aviation business arrangement where two or more airlines share the same flight. A seat can be purchased on one airline but is actually operated by a cooperating airline under a different flight number or code. The term "code" refers to the identifier used in flight schedule, generally the two-character IATA airline designator code and flight number.

Singapore Airlines And Virgin Australia entered into
a wide-ranging partnership last year

Based in Singapore Changi Airport with strong presence in the Southeast Asia, East Asia, South Asia, and "Kangaroo Route" markets, Singapore Airlines is the flag carrier airline of Singapore. Based in Bowen Hills, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, Virgin Australia Airlines, formerly Virgin Blue Airlines, is Australia's second-largest airline as well as the largest by fleet size to use the Virgin brand. Both airlines have entered into a wide-ranging partnership last year. Last month, Singapore Airlines bought Virgin Australia Stake and Virgin Australia announced that it will use the proceeds to buy 60% of budget carrier Tiger Australia for A$35 million from Singapore's Tiger Airways Holdings Ltd.

 In addition to codesharing, the alliance covers reciprocal frequent-flyer programme benefits and lounge access, coordinated schedules to provide seamless connections, and joint sales, marketing and distribution activities. SIA and subsidiary SilkAir together serve 97 destinations in 36 countries across six continents. Virgin Australia serves 49 destinations in 14 countries.