Codeshare flights between the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines (VNA) and the low-cost carrier Jetstar Pacic (JPA) will become operational from May 21, it was announced on May 19.

Domestic codeshare flights will be operated in the first phase of their cooperation, which will be followed by an international codeshare in the future.

Codeshare is a practice in which a flight operated by one airline is jointly marketed as a flight by one or more other airlines. Customers can purchase a seat through each airline but the flight is actually operated by only one of the cooperating airlines - called the operating carrier.

Customers with VNA tickets will be able to board JPA flights while still receiving VNA’s free baggage allowance and food.

In addition, special treatment on luggage and waiting rooms will be offered to members of the Golden Lotus programme. Meanwhile, titan-rated members will receive support at exclusive check-in counters at Noi Bai International Airport, Tan Son Nhat International Airport and Da Nang International Airport.

Trinh Ngoc Thanh, VNA Vice General Director in charge of Commercial Affairs, said that the collaboration with JPA is part of the strategy to develop the VNA-JPA trademark, which includes a plan to diversify products, services and flight schedules to meet growing demands.

He stressed that the move will bring more opportunities for passengers to travel with lower costs and benefit from various preferential services offered by the carrier.

For his part, Le Hong Ha, JPA Chief Executive Officer, said that the codeshare will promote domestic tourism growth, adding that VNA customers are eligible to access other destinations reached by JPA as well as the Jetstar Group network in the Asian-Pacific region.-VNA