Virgin Atlantic Expands Indian Reach with Indigo Codeshare

DALLAS - Today saw the announcement of a codeshare agreement between British carrier Virgin Atlantic (VS) and IndiGo (6E), the largest airline in India.

Virgin Atlantic will be able to sell seats to travelers connecting onto 6E flights thanks to the deal, with initial codeshare destinations including Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Amritsar, Goa, Delhi, and Mumbai.

According to the press release announcing the agreement, additional locations include Kochi, Chandigarh, Jaipur, Pune, Coimbatore, Nagpur, Vadodara, Indore, and Visakhapatnam.

Customers purchasing a VS ticket will have access to the airline's London Heathrow (LHR)-to-Delhi and Mumbai flights as well as connections to/from seven other Indian destinations thanks to the relationship.

Further, the deal will be extended later this year to include links onto VS' massive US network operated via LHR as well as a total of 16 locations across India.

Comments from Airline Executives

“We’re thrilled to launch a new codeshare partnership with IndiGo. This summer marks our largest ever flying programme from India with three daily direct services to London and our new partnership takes our commitment to even greater heights," a media release said quoting Juha Jarvinen, Chief Commercial Officer at VS.

"IndiGo is India’s largest airline and its extensive network will offer Virgin Atlantic customers even more choice when travelling between the UK and India, as well as offering seamless connections for the onward travel across our extensive US route network," he further said.

“It’s great news for our Flying Club too, by providing more opportunities for members to earn valuable points. This new partnership aims to respond to the large, fast-growing demand for visiting friends & relatives, leisure as well as business travellers looking for more choice between UK and India,” Ronojoy Dutta, IndiGo's Chief Executive Officer and Wholetime Director, said.

“We are pleased to announce our codeshare with Virgin Atlantic to provide enhanced connectivity to the passengers. This will not only help offer a seamless travel experience from London to as many as 16 destinations in India, but also open up international trade opportunities throughout the country," he further said.

Virgin Atlantic G-VZIG Boeing 787-9. Photo: Brandon Farris/Airways