Virgin Australia is set to further expand its global network as the carrier edges closer to launching its codeshare service to India.
A Virgin spokesperson today confirmed that a codeshare arrangement with Singapore Airlines’ subsidiary Silk Air was now well within its sights as the airline awaited final government approval. An announcement of the services is expected within the “next few months”.
Website Airline Route last week revealed Virgin’s code was already appearing on Silk Air services from Singapore to Bangalore, Chennai, Coimbatore, Hyderabad, Kochi, Kolkata and Thiruvananthapuram.
The new codeshare represents a deepening of the alliance between Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines which saw the SQ code appear on 22 of Virgin’s domestic routes in February. Virgin placed its code on Singapore Airlines’ services to Singapore, China and South Africa at the end of March, with more destinations to follow.
“We are keen to give our customers access to as many destinations across Asia as possible,” Virgin Australia told Travel Today.
The carrier applied to the International Air Services Commission for an allocation of 1,625 seats of third country codeshare capacity under the Australia-India service arrangements in July 2011. It outlined plans to codeshare on selected routes operated by Singapore Airlines and its subsidiary Silk Air between Australian and Indian ports via Singapore.
The Indian link will cater to growing demand from the subcontinent for travel to and from Australia from both the leisure and business sectors.
Tourism Australia highlighted India as having significant growth potential for Australian tourism, with the market’s total expenditure forecast to grow to between $1.854 billion and $2.258 billion by 2020.
