Vistara, Japan Airlines to expand code share partnership

Full service carriers Vistara and Japan Airlines will expand their code share partnership, a move that will provide additional options for travellers between India and Japan, according to a release.

Code sharing allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless travel to destinations where it has no presence.

"Effective March 15, 2020, the two carriers will provide codeshare service on Japan Airlines Ltd's international routes to India, namely Tokyo-Delhi and Tokyo-Bengaluru, as well as on connecting flights to major cities in their respective countries," as per the release issued on Friday.

Japan Airlines would add 13 new destinations to its international network in India, such as Goa and Amritsar, while Vistara would add five major cities in Japan in its virtual network. The Japanese cities are Sapporo, Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.

"The travel demand from India to Japan has more than doubled in the past decade, making this a key market for Japan Airlines. By strengthening our partnership with Vistara, we will provide an international network that better matches the actual needs of our mutual customers," Japan Airlines' Executive Officer for International Relations and Alliances Hideki Oshima said.

Vistara -- a joint venture between Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines -- operates over 200 daily flights. Japan Airlines, which has more than 241 planes, flies to more than 60 countries.