Lufthansa Group, Air India Deepen Alliance

(MENAFN) Germany’s flagship aviation conglomerate Lufthansa Group and India’s national airline Air India formalized a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday aimed at strengthening their strategic alliance, laying the groundwork for a comprehensive joint business framework that will encompass flight timetables, route structures, commercial operations, and frequent flyer schemes.

"The agreement is specifically designed to capitalize on new growth opportunities arising from the recently concluded free trade agreement between India – the world's most populous country – and the European Union (EU). The EU states are India's largest trading partners for goods," the statement said.

Under the broadened collaboration, both carriers will concentrate on harmonizing flight schedules and optimizing route networks in selected markets. This coordination is expected to provide travelers with smoother transfers and reduced transit durations between connecting flights.

In addition, the partners intend to partially merge their sales and promotional efforts, interconnect their loyalty and mileage programs, and enhance efficiency in airport handling procedures.

The proposed partnership will extend beyond Lufthansa, the group’s core brand, to include its affiliated airlines Swiss, Austrian Airlines, and ITA Airways.

At present, India ranks as the second most significant intercontinental market for the Lufthansa Group, trailing only the United States.

Lufthansa Group airlines and Air India currently manage 146 routes spanning 22 nations through code-share agreements, a system in which flights operated by one carrier are promoted and sold by partner airlines under their respective flight numbers.

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