SIA signs extensive partnership deal with Lufthansa

SINGAPORE Airlines (SIA) and Lufthansa have inked a wide-ranging partnership agreement that will see the two airline groups operating key routes between Singapore and Europe on a joint-venture basis, in addition to expanding codeshare ties.

Flights between Singapore and both Frankfurt and Munich, as well as flights between Singapore and Zurich, are to be operated under revenue-sharing arrangements. SIA's new flights to Dusseldorf - to be launched in July next year - will also be covered under such arrangements.

Meanwhile, the expanded codeshare ties will provide SIA passengers access to and from points in Austria, Belgium, Germany and Switzerland - via certain European hubs - with more than 20 new codeshare routes.

Lufthansa and Swiss will in turn codeshare with SIA and its regional arm SilkAir on more routes serving destinations in South-east Asia and the South-west Pacific.

The two groups plan to tie up for key markets in Europe, South-east Asia and Australia, coordinating schedules to provide customers more convenient connections between route networks, offering joint fare promotions as well as aligning corporate programmes, and possibly enhancing their existing frequent-flyer programme ties.

Codeshare cooperation is expected to be expanded to more destinations going forward.

Some of the benefits of the agreement - such as codeshare services - will be rolled out in the coming months.