Jet Airways ties up with Kingfisher Airlines

MUMBAI: In the biggest consolidation in the country’s airspace, Kingfisher Airlines and Jet Airways on Monday night announced an alliance aimed at cost cutting and synergising their operations.

Kingfisher Chairman Vijay Mallya and Jet AIrways counterpart Naresh Goyal announced the alliance after a marathon meeting here.

The alliance is meant to significantly rationalise and reduce costs and offer a wider choice of air travel options, Mallya and Goyal told reporters.

The alliance will include code-sharing on both domestic and international flights, joint fuel management to reduce expenses, common ground handling, joint utilisation of crew and sharing of similar frequent flier programmes.

Mallya said, “Both Jet and Kingfisher fully realise the economics realities and the benefits of having an alliance.”

Goyal said, “In this environment, Jet Airways and Kingfisher alliance represents a completely new industrial model for aviation in India. There will be huge cost saving and revenue enhancement opportunities.”

Shares of the two airlines went up Monday on rumours of a possible merger to trigger yet another consolidation bid in the country’s aviation space. Source The Economic Times