- Air India to operate codeshare flights to 16 cities on the Virgin Australia network in Australia and New Zealand
Today, Virgin Australia and Air India announced a new codeshare agreement that will greatly improve connectivity and make traveling between Australia and India easier.
Air India is able to use its “AI” code on Virgin Australia flights thanks to the unilateral codeshare agreement. Customers of Air India now have more options while flying from Delhi to Melbourne or Sydney and making smooth connections on Virgin Australia flights to 16 locations across Australia and New Zealand1. Additionally, the improved collaboration will guarantee that passengers using a single ticket would have their luggage checked during the entire trip.
Adelaide, Ballina/Byron Bay, Brisbane, Cairns, Canberra, Darwin, Gold Coast, Hamilton Island, Hobart, Launceston, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth, and Queenstown (New South Wales) are among the 16 cities in Australia and New Zealand.
“We are pleased to partner with Air India to make it easier for their customers to explore everything Australia has to offer. India is a growing tourism market for Australia and this partnership will encourage travellers arriving on one of Air India’s 14 weekly flights to explore more of our wonderful country thanks to seamless onward connections on the Virgin Australia network,” said Alistair Hartley, Chief Strategy and Transformation Officer, Virgin Australia.
“Australia is one of Air India’s most important international markets, so it is incredibly exciting for us to be partnering with Virgin Australia to expand our presence in the region. While the partnership provides greater ease and access for the large Indian diaspora spread across the continent, it also opens up a whole new range of destinations for holidaymakers wanting to soak up the beaches of Gold Coast, discover Tasmania, or to explore the natural wonders of The Great Barrier Reef,” said Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial Officer, Air India.
Air India operates 14x weekly flights from India to Australia, flying non-stop daily from Delhi to Melbourne and Delhi to Sydney. The airline utilises its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft on these routes, featuring
18 flat beds in Business Class and 238 spacious seats in Economy Class. Air India customers taking onward flights on Virgin Australia flights within Australia and New Zealand will enjoy world-class Business and Economy Class cabins, and award-winning service.
Codeshare bookings will start from 11 February 2025, with the first codeshare flights to operate from 18 February 2025.
