Aeroflot yesterday announced a new codeshare agreement set to go into force with Brussels Airlines. The two flag carriers of their respective nations will start their codesharing agreement next month on the 20th of January 2020.

We've seen a wealth of codeshares being announced lately, from British Airways' joint business agreement with China Southern to Etihad's new codeshare agreement with Kuwait Airlines announced earlier this week. However, now Aeroflot fancies a piece of the codesharing pie alongside its partner Brussels Airlines. This will allow the airline to offer their respective passengers greater travel options from the other's country.

What is codesharing?

Codeshare agreements allow airlines to sell tickets on other airlines' flights with their own flight numbers. For example, Air Baltic's flight BT652 from London to Riga is also sold by British Airways as BA 2240. However, despite being sold by British Airways with a BA flight number, the flight is operated by airBaltic. This means an airBaltic Airbus A220 crewed by airBaltic staff.

By implementing codeshare agreements, airlines are able to offer a greater choice of destinations to their passengers. Take LATAM's codeshare agreement with Delta Air Lines as an example. Delta passengers will be able to fly with Delta to LATAM hubs, then onwards with LATAM on the same flight booking.

Aeroflot, Brussels Airlines, Codeshare
Tickets under the new codeshare agreement are already on sale. Photo: Tom Boon - Simple Flying

Delta estimates that it will provide 74 new destinations in the United States for LATAM passengers. Meanwhile, LATAM will reciprocate with 51 South American destinations for Delta Air Lines passengers.

What about this Aeroflot codeshare?

As previously mentioned, Aeroflot's new codesharing agreement with Brussels Airlines will go live on the 20th of January 2020. However, what will it entail? According to Aeroflot, the agreement will allow travelers from Moscow to connect onto Brussels Airlines routes in Brussels.

Meanwhile, the reverse will be true for Brussels Airlines passengers. They will be able to fly to Moscow and then connect onto flights to global destinations served by Aeroflot. The agreement means that passengers will be able to through-check their baggage, in addition to collecting frequent flyer points and being on one flight booking.

Aeroflot, Brussels Airlines, Codeshare
Aeroflot passengers will benefit from a range of destinations from Brussels. Photo: Brussels Airlines

Tickets for the new services are now already on sale by Aeroflot, however, in a press release the airline failed to mention which specific routes the codeshare applies to beyond "bigger selection of flights and more flexibility when travelling between Brussels and Moscow". Although already on sale, travel on the codeshare agreement will not go live until the 20th of January next year, in other words, just under a month's time.

Will you find the Aeroflot codeshare with Brussels Airlines helpful? Where would you fly with it? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!