Mumbai (Maharashtra) [India], January 16 (ANI): Air India and Singapore Airlines (SIA) have signed a commercial cooperation framework agreement, which will pave the way for them to deepen their long-standing partnership through definitive joint business agreements. This strengthened collaboration allows the airlines to explore ways to improve connectivity between Singapore and India, delivering greater choice and benefits for customers.

According to a release, the agreement was signed in Mumbai on January 16 by Air India Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director Campbell Wilson and SIA Chief Executive Officer Goh Choon Phong.

Subject to regulatory approvals and the signing of definitive joint business agreements, the airlines aim to expand and enhance the product and service offerings, enabling seamless connections and more route options, and allowing customers to book flights across both airlines under a single unified journey. This partnership also envisages a closer coordination of flight schedules between Air India and SIA to improve convenience for customers.

It could also expand to include greater cross-participation in the airlines' corporate travel programmes to improve offerings to business travellers. The airlines will explore plans to progressively enhance privileges beyond the current Star Alliance benefits for members of Air India's Maharaja Club and SIA's KrisFlyer frequent flyer programmes.

Further details will be announced as the plans are finalised.

Air India and SIA also plan to explore opportunities to broaden the scope of their cooperation in select markets, beyond Singapore and India, subject to regulatory approvals. This would meet the growing demand for global connectivity, support traffic flow through both carriers' hubs, and strengthen the air travel markets of both India and Singapore.

Today, the airlines code-share on 61 points in 20 countries and territories. This follows the October 2024 expansion of their codeshare partnership, which added 51 international and domestic destinations across both networks, as per the release.

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said, 'Air India remains committed to expanding its global footprint, both by adding new aircraft to our own fleet and by forging stronger commercial partnerships, especially with our fellow Star Alliance member carriers. We are pleased to take our valued, long-term relationship with Singapore Airlines to the next level through this new commercial cooperation understanding, which establishes a clear and structured platform for both airlines to explore and define future areas of closer collaboration. With this measured approach, we aim to lay a strong foundation for sustainable, long-term value creation for our customers and other stakeholders.'

According to a release, the Chief Executive Officer of Singapore Airlines, Goh Choon Phong, said, 'This agreement between Singapore Airlines and Air India is a natural evolution of our successful partnership, creating genuine value and delivering enhanced benefits to customers. It is a strategic, win-win collaboration that will strengthen connectivity between Singapore and India, support the growth of air travel and tourism in both countries, and deepen their long-standing business and people-to-people ties.' (ANI)