Mumbai: Private carrier Jet Airways has collaborated with Air Seychelles to offer code-share flights on each other's network.
Code-sharing allows an airline to book passengers on its partner carriers and provide seamless transport to multiple destinations where it has no presence.
Air Seycehlles, which is the national carrier of the Seychelles, is partly owned by Gulf carrier Etihad Airways, which holds 40 per cent stake in the airline.
Etihad also holds 24 per cent equity in Jet Airways. The Mumbai-based airline has made Abu Dhabi as its overseas hub, after Etihad's strategic investment in the carrier.
The agreement heralds an era of closer cooperation between the two airlines which, in subsequent months, will include reciprocal frequent flyer programmes, cargo handling, and expansion of code-share arrangements, Jet Airways said in a release.
As part of the code-share agreement between the two airlines, Jet Airways will place its "9W" code on Air Seychelles' flights from Mumbai to Mahe, which are currently operated four times per week.
Mahe is the largest island of Seychelles.
Besides, the code-share would also be applicable on Air Seychelles flights to Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg, it said adding in turn, Air Seychelles will place its "HM" code on Jet Airways' domestic services from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, Jaipur, Kochi, and Thiruvananthapuram, and also on the airline's international services between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai.
"The agreement makes Seychelles more accessible to our guests, and opens up other key destinations and multiple travel options that we constantly endeavour to offer our guests. The archipelago, with its 115 scenic islands, has great appeal to business and leisure travellers," Jet Airways chief executive Cramer Ball said.
The national carrier of the Seychelles island had recently announced that it was enhancing its air services between Mumbai and Mahe to four-times-a-week from three at present.
Mumbai is one of five destinations served by Air Seychelles in the Indian Ocean and Africa. The airline also flies to Dar Es Salaam, Johannesburg, Madagascar and Mauritius, which are available as additional connection opportunities for guests of Jet Airways, along with other islands in the Seychelles archipelago, such as Bird, Denis, Fr?gate, and Praslin, the airline said.
Ties with Jet Airways will help the airline build its presence in India and provide Air Seychelles access to millions of potential Indian passengers wishing to travel to the Seychelles, or beyond to Africa, Air Seychelles chief executive officer Manoj Papa said.
"Closer cooperation with cargo will further enable trade in the region and is in line with our business strategy," he added.
Air Seychelles had launched services to Mumbai in December 2014 with an A320 aircraft in a two-class configuration, offering 16 business and 120 in economy class.
