Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines alliance set for takeoff
The codeshare has been approved in Singapore and more destinations beckon
Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines are set to bolster their destinations under the deal.
The Competition Commission of Singapore (CCS) has given the plan the green light and it now awaits final approval from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC).
With the deal sealed in Singapore, the Australian rubber stamp seems a formality: the ACCC has already given draft approval to the plan.
Almost 50 potential destinations have been listed in the codeshare that has been submitted to the competition watchdogs, reported Australian Business Traveller.
According to current rights, 36 of these destinations would be operational at the launch of the alliance.
"The Alliance will enable Virgin Australia to offer connections from anywhere within its domestic network to any codeshare destination available with Singapore Airlines, opening up many new routings, including from regional Australia to destinations throughout the world," the submission to the ACCC said.
Final approval would mean prices, schedules, marketing and sales would be a joint venture between the airlines, while they would also work at timely connections.
Lounge access and frequent flyer points would be shared by Virgin Australia Velocity Gold members and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Gold members.
“Singapore Airlines is widely regarded as one of the best airlines in the world and, following the recent re-positioning of our brand and the introduction of our new business and economy class product, Virgin Australia is a well-suited partner,” Virgin Australia chief executive, John Borghetti said, reported Travel Weekly.
He said the alliance would promote tourism in both regions.
Virgin already has codeshares with Air New Zealand, Etihad and Delta.
