UAE's Emirates, Australia's Jetstar in new codeshare pact

Dubai, Feb 13 (IANS/WAM) The United Arab Emirates' (UAE) national carrier Emirates airline and Australian low budget carrier Jetstar have announced an agreement which is set to open up new destinations for Emirates passengers across Australia, New Zealand and Southeast Asia.

Emirates' code will now be placed on a number of routes operated by Jetstar Airways in Australia and New Zealand and Jetstar Asia, giving passengers access to 27 new routes and six new destinations such as Bali in Indonesia, Byron Bay in Australia, Dunedin in New Zealand and Siem Reap in Cambodia (Subject to final regulatory approval).

"This new link between Emirates and Jetstar offers our passengers a number of benefits including new routes to destinations that are not part of the Emirates network today," Adnan Kazim, Emirates' divisional senior vice-president for planning, aeropolitical and industry affairs, was Thursday quoted as saying.

"The link between Emirates and Jetstar is also fantastic news for our Emirates Skywards members, giving them more options to use their miles to explore new countries and cultures," he added.

Members of Emirates Skywards, the airline's frequent flyer programme, will be able to earn miles for flights on Jetstar-operated routes which have the Emirates code.

They will also be able to use their miles to purchase reward flights on any Jetstar operated route (excluding Jetstar Pacific flights ), starting from just 7,025 Skywards Miles.

"This agreement will see us bring our extensive Asia Pacific network consisting of some of the most popular leisure destinations, to the doorstep of Emirates passengers across the globe," said Lisa Brock, Jetstar Group Chief Commercial Officer.

"Working with Emirates we have created a product and a network offering that will provide Emirates passengers with new holiday options throughout South East Asia including Bali, Siem Reap and Phnom Penh and new destinations across Australia and New Zealand," she added.

The new codeshare includes seven domestic routes in Australia to add to the 50 that Emirates already codeshares with cornerstone investor in the Jetstar Group, Qantas; four new routes in New Zealand, six new routes between Australian and New Zealand over the Tasman Sea and 10 international routes out of Singapore to Indonesia, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Thailand and Hong Kong.

--IANS/WAM

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