IndiGo has signed a new wide-ranging codeshare agreement with Air France-KLM. The deal will see AF-KLM receive access to 25 of IndiGo's domestic destinations, while the low-cost giant will be able to leverage the European carrier's global network. This is IndiGo second major codeshare after this year, including one with American Airlines.

New agreement

In a statement today, IndiGo and Air France-KLM announced a new codeshare agreement that will greatly increase their collaboration. The deal is subject to regulatory approval and will come into effect in February 2022, just a month before another agreement with American Airlines is expected to come into effect.

The codeshare will Air France-KLM extend its presence from four Indian destinations, Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai, and Bangalore, to 25 new cities thanks to IndiGo's sprawling network. While the exact cities have not been named, big-ticket locations like Hyderabad, Pune, Ahemdabad, and more are very likely to be on the list.

Air France Boeing 777 Vincenzo
Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

Meanwhile, IndiGo will be able to sell tickets to AF-KLM's network of 250 destinations across the world, including 120 in Europe alone and 50 in North and South America. This will be a huge boon for the airline, allowing it to greatly expand its offering to its passengers.

The case for IndiGo

Before the pandemic, IndiGo was in the middle of a major international expansion that took it deeper into East Asia and the Middle East. This was bolstered by partnerships with Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines, both mega hubs in the region. However, COVID canceled all of the carrier's routes, barring repatriations, and paused any future growth, with some routes yet to return.

However, with travel restrictions easing for Indians going to Europe or the US, IndiGo is back to collaborating with global carriers. In late September, the low-cost giant signed a codeshare with American Airlines that covers 29 domestic cities. Now, the new AF-KLM has become IndiGo's latest partner.

IndiGo a320
There was a slight reduction in CO2 emissions both in domestic and international operations in 2019, compared to the year before. Photo: Airbus

The partnership will boost IndiGo's domestic passenger count and future-proof its presence in Europe. With the A321XLR under three years away, an introduction to the European market would serve IndiGo well and perhaps a groundwork for a deeper partnership.

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The case for Air France-KLM

Air France-KLM has a lot to benefit from a partnership with IndiGo. The ability to connect to more hubs and secondary cities means the carrier can attract more passengers and grow its market share in the rapidly-expanding market. Given the intense competition from European airlines like Lufthansa and British Airways, AF-KLM can stand out.

KLM Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner PH-BKF
Pandemic restrictions mean that AF, KLM, and Lufthansa are the only foreign airlines allowed to fly passengers into the EU from India. Photo: Vincenzo Pace | Simple Flying

As leisure traffic is set to return next summer, the European giant hopes to grab as much traffic as possible. For now, keep an eye out for more details on this partnership and its impact.

What do you think about the new codeshare agreement? Let us know in the comments!