Qantas extends partnership with India’s largest airline

Qantas and IndiGo are bolstering their partnership to cover more flights on a ‘codeshare’ basis.

Launched in September 2022 with 11 IndiGo destinations from Bengaluru and two from Delhi, aligning with Qantas’ own Sydney–Bengaluru and Melbourne-Delhi services, it’s now being extended to cover Qantas’ own flights from Singapore to Australia. 

This will begin with Singapore-Melbourne flights, with Sydney, Perth, and Brisbane becoming available “in the coming months” under IndiGo’s own flight numbers.

IndiGo is India’s largest airline, with a commanding 64% domestic market share, and while considered a low-cost carrier has also introduced business class on two leased Boeing 777 jets.

“This partnership signifies the strengthening of the relationship between the two countries, as a part of Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement,” says IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers,

“We are now enabling the vast IndiGo network to connect with Qantas’ unmatched reach, to “create more opportunities for trade and tourism between both nations.”

Earning more Qantas Points, status credits

A total of 21 IndiGo destinations within India can be be booked through Qantas under QF flight numbers, with baggage through-check and onwards boarding passes issued for both legs of the journey via Bengaluru or Delhi services.

Those QF flight numbers also allow frequent flyers can earn a full serve of Qantas Points and status credits on the IndiGo flights, although there are relatively few additional perks for even Platinum-grade frequent flyers due to IndiGo’s LCC-shaped product offering.

Qantas’ push into India is likely to be followed by that of its own LCC arm Jetstar following upgrades to Jetstar’s Boeing 787 fleet which will not only include new business and economy seats plus WiFi but also extend the Dreamliners’ operating range, with India among new destinations cited by the carrier.

Air India continues to fly daily from Delhi to Sydney and Melbourne, with direct Melbourne-Mumbai flights launching on December 15.

The Star Alliance member is also set to roll out new first class and business class suites, along with premium economy recliners, as part of what Air India CEO Campbell Wilson describes as a “total transformation” anchored in an “ambition to make Air India a world class airline serving guests from around the globe.”

The Indian flag-carrier has also confirmed a blockbuster US$70 billion order for 470 new Airbus and Boeing jets to be delivered over the next ten years, including 40 long-range Airbus A350 and 20 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, plus ten of the yet-to-launch Boeing 777-9s.

“We see significant opportunity in long-haul international (flights),” Wilson shares, adding that the order for 70 twin-aisle aircraft means “a many-fold increase in Air India’s widebody long-haul fleet, and therefore, capacity.”