Full-service carrier Vistara has entered a codershare pact with Lufthansa to strengthen its existing partnership with the German carrier; both the carriers have an interline partnership. Sales under the codeshare agreement open today on all channels and major global distribution systems (GDS) for flights starting 16 December 2019.
The two airlines already have an Interline/through check-in agreement, using which customers can seamlessly connect from Vistara-operated domestic flights in India to Lufthansa-operated flights to both of its hubs in Frankfurt and Munich and beyond. Using the through check-in facility, customers get their boarding passes at the first point of departure for all the travel sectors, both domestic and international, with their baggage checked through to the final destination. Both the airlines will soon expand the scope of the agreement, enabling frequent fliers of both airlines to earn miles/points when travelling on each other’s networks and avail other benefits.
As part of the codeshare agreement, Lufthansa will add its ‘LH’ designator code to nearly 18 Vistara-operated flights every day covering ten Indian cities, including Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Chennai, Goa, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Kochi, Mumbai, and Pune.
Vinod Kannan, Vistara’s chief strategy officer, said, “As a growing global carrier, one of our key goals is to offer an extended international network to our customers through such strategic associations. Our codeshare with Lufthansa is another important step in this direction and helps us widen our customer base outside of India.”
“This marks Lufthansa’s commitment to offering its Indian customers world-class international travel experiences and enabling them to use their preferred mileage program on codeshare routes. By teaming up with Vistara we will strengthen and expand our position as the leading and most popular European airline in India – a country all set to become the third-largest aviation market in just a few years’ time,” George Ettiyil, senior director sales for the Lufthansa G
