Africa

Air France-KLM is interested in a codeshare for IndiGo’s foreign flights.

France Implements Ban On Short Flights For Journeys Possible In Under 2.5 Hours By Train

A report by The Times of India (TOI) says that Air France-KLM wants to expand its codeshare partnership with a budget airline, IndiGo for some of its overseas flight network as well. Currently, many of IndiGo’s domestic destinations are part of its codeshare deal with Air France-KLM.

The majority of UK and European routes are already under consideration by Indigo with just one consumer channel through a codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines. Additionally, if the Turkish codeshare provides a gate for Indigo Airlines, it also looks into potential opportunities to extend to the US. If its international destinations generate excellent earnings for it in the near future, it will also be looking to purchase wide-body aircraft.

Air France-KLM orders an additional 10 A350 XWBs(Opens in a new browser tab)

The European airline consortium is eager to expand the collaboration to include Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Nepal, three nations that border India. As a result, the airlines would be able to provide travelers with more options from their bases in Paris and Amsterdam. Claude Sarre, GM (Indian subcontinent) for Air France-KLM, is quoted by TOI as saying,

Together, Air France and KLM offer more than 40 weekly flights to India, stopping in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Chennai, which are all major destinations. The firm has 22% more flights to India than it had last summer, and Hyderabad is also a possibility.

Air France and KLM would also have open connections to Air India, but they already have agreements with Singapore Airlines. As a result, Indigo would be a good fit for helping India generate enough traffic to reach its European destinations.

Air France-KLM orders four A350Fs to modernize the fleet of Martinair, part of KLM Group(Opens in a new browser tab)

Air France-KLM and IndiGo signed a codeshare arrangement last summer to give them access to some of the Indian major domestic destinations, including Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Pune, and Hyderabad. This was done to take advantage of the developing Indian aviation market.

Additionally, it will be subject to some restrictions based on the pre-existing routes that are currently connected to Turkish Airlines. Air France-KLM is attempting to expand into India in a number of ways, including through a codeshare with IndiGo.

It was previously speculated that the airline group would also partner with Air India to purchase the government-owned MRO firm AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL). Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, and Air France-KLM are all eager to participate in the bidding process.

Africa

Qantas to deploy A380s to Africa for the first time

Lost Tool Found in Qantas A380 After 34 Flights

Qantas is making history today as its inaugural Airbus A380 flight takes off for Johannesburg, marking the first time the national carrier has operated the Superjumbo to Africa.

This monumental move means up to six flights per week, nearly doubling the capacity between Australia and Africa, adding an impressive 130,000 seats annually. The qantas A380 is capable of carrying 485 passengers across four luxurious cabins. This deployment marks the return of First Class on this route, a feature not seen since 2018.

Air India to Implement Fatigue Report Verification for Flight Crew

The First Class section offers 14 exclusive suites arranged in a spacious 1-1-1 configuration, each converting into a 212-centimeter bed. Additionally, Premium Economy seats are more than doubling, providing even more options for travelers.

Passengers in First and Business Class can enjoy the upper deck lounge, featuring booth-style seating for 10 people, a self-service bar, and an opportunity to order signature drinks and snacks.

Qantas’ history with South Africa dates back to 1948 when the airline first touched down in Johannesburg with a Lancastrian survey flight from Sydney. The journey evolved over the years, transitioning from 66-hour flights on the Lockheed Constellation L-749A—affectionately known as the “Wallaby Route“—to today’s nonstop journeys across the southern Indian Ocean. This is the first airbus a380 capacity flight operated by any airline over this route, a significant milestone for aviation.

Southwest Airlines Unveils 3-Year ‘Southwest. Even Better.’ Plan for Growth

Looking ahead, Qantas plans to relaunch direct flights from Perth to Johannesburg in mid-2025, pending border agency approvals. Alongside this expansion, Qantas has announced a new codeshare partnership with Johannesburg-based Airlink, which will dramatically extend its reach across South Africa.

This partnership allows seamless travel between Qantas flights to Johannesburg and nine other South African destinations, including Cape Town, Durban, and Hoedspruit, with plans to expand to more destinations in the near future.

Tickets for the A380 flights are now available on the Qantas website and via travel agents, with codeshare connections on Airlink ready for travel from late October 2024. All Qantas international fares come with checked baggage, meals, beverages, and qantas entertainment movie list ensuring a comfortable journey for every passenger.