(19 Nov 2021)
Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines have
confirmed plans to reactivate their codeshare
arrangement between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and expand it to
include fifteen domestic points in Malaysia, seven destinations in
Europe, and two cities in South Africa.
Previously, the airlines had a codeshare
arrangement on flights between Singapore Kuala Lumpur, Kuching and
Penang. However, due to a reduced flight schedule as a result of
COVI19, SIA does not currently operate flights to Kuching and
Penang and Malaysia Airlines does not operate flights to Kuching.
The substantial expansion of the codeshare
arrangements, within Malaysia and beyond the two countries, comes
amid the gradual reopening of international borders and an
increase in the demand for air travel.
Malaysia Airlines Airbus A350-900 reg: 9M-MAC. Picture by Steven Howard of TravelNewsAsia.com
The two countries will launch a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)
on 29 November 2021.
From that date, Singapore Airlines customers will
be able to progressively connect on Malaysia Airlines services out
of Kuala Lumpur as the carrier adds 15 the following new codeshare
destinations in Malaysia: Alor Setar, Bintulu,
Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kuching,
Labuan, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu and Tawau.
From 1 January 2022, Malaysia Airlines customers
will be able to connect on SIA flights from Singapore to the
following seven
points in Europe: Barcelona, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Moscow, Munich,
Rome and Zurich, as well as Cape Town and Johannesburg in South
Africa.
Other points in the Singapore Airlines or Malaysia
Airlines network will be progressively added to the codeshare
arrangements.
This significant expansion of the codeshare
arrangement is the first phase of a wide-ranging commercial
agreement that Malaysia Airlines and Singapore Airlines signed in
2019. Under this agreement, the airlines plan to undertake a joint
business arrangement between Malaysia and Singapore, subject to
regulatory approvals.
This would allow the partners to coordinate flight
schedules, offer joint fare products, align corporate programmes,
and explore tie-ups between the KrisFlyer and Enrich frequent
flyer programmes.
Both carriers will also explore joint tourism
marketing initiatives and multi-stop itineraries, which would
enable customers to travel to more destinations in Malaysia
through Kuala Lumpur and Singapore.
Mr Izham Ismail, Group Chief Executive Officer of
Malaysia Airlines, said, "Malaysia Airlines looks forward to the
long-awaited Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) between Kuala Lumpur and
Singapore, the first VTL for Malaysia. This is indeed very timely
considering the upcoming festive season and year-end holidays
where residents of both countries have traditionally spent their
time either in Singapore or Malaysia. We look forward to more VTLs
for Malaysia so we can safely revive travel globally."
The codeshare
flights are subject to regulatory approvals and will be progressively made available for sale through each
airline's respective channels.
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