Jet Airways in codeshare pact with Saudi carrier Flynas; debt-laden airline extends reach into Arab nation

Mumbai: Private carrier Jet Airways on Monday announced signing of an agreement with Saudi budget airline Flynas to operate codeshare flights in each other’s territories. The codeshare pact is effective 11 December, Jet Airways said in a release. Codesharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence. [caption id=“attachment_5554021” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image. Reuters[/caption] As part of the agreement, Jet Airways will place its marketing code ‘9W’ on Flynas flights between the gateway cities of Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh, thus providing its guests travelling from India the ability to travel into Saudi Arabia via one point and depart from another, the release said. “Jet Airways will also be placing its code via Dammam, Jeddah and Riyadh to the Saudi Arabian cities of Medina, Gizan, Gassim,and Abha, thus extending our reach into Saudi Arabia,” it added. In turn, Flynas will offer its guests access into India by placing its marketing code ‘XY’ on Jet Airways’ international flights connecting Jeddah to Mumbai, Riyadh to Mumbai and Delhi as well as Dammam to Mumbai and Delhi, the release said. Flynas will also place its marketing code on certain destinations on the Jet Airways domestic network, via Mumbai to Delhi, Kochi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Lucknow as well as via Delhi to Bengaluru, Lucknow, Chennai and Kochi, it added. Bander Al-Mohanna, chief executive officer, Flynas, said this partnership is an important step in-line with the airline’s expansion and development strategy. “Through such agreements, we aim to offer a continually improved service to our passengers by adding more travel routes and expanding our reach regionally and internationally, in particular to key markets such as India,” he added.