Air India enters into interline pact with Alaska Airlines to operate in US

Air India has entered into an interline partnership with Alaska Airlines.

The partnership will allow Air India customers to "avail seamless connections from New York JFK, Newark-New Jersey, Washington DC, Chicago, San Francisco, and Vancouver gateways to and from 32 destinations in the USA, Mexico, and Canada on Alaska Airline's network", according to a release.

An interline arrangement refers to a pact to issue and accept tickets for flights that are operated by the partner airline. When selling an interline ticket, the operating airlines' own flight numbers are used.

The release said the scope of the partnership includes bilateral interlining which allows both the airlines to sell tickets on each other's network.

"The two airlines have also entered a Special Prorate Agreement, which allows Air India to file 'through fares' on routes covering Alaska Airlines' network," it added.

This arrangement means that a passenger can have a single fare for a single ticket covering all destinations in an itinerary.

Tata Group-owned Air India is expanding its presence in both domestic and international networks.