Singapore Airlines entered a codeshare partnership with Bangkok Airways Effective from 4th September 2023, covering travel between Singapore and Thailand, as well as other cities in Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
A strategic partnership expansion was just signed between Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways. Bangkok Airways will codeshare on SIA services from Singapore to Bangkok Suvarnabhumi, Phuket, Adelaide, Sydney and Auckland while SIA will codeshare on Bangkok Airways services from Phuket to Koh Samui, Singapore to Koh Samui, and from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi to Chiang Mai, Koh Samui, Phnom Penh, Phuket, Luang Prabang, and Siem Reap.
The two airlines have had a partnership for years, as both are members of the Star Alliance network, but the new deal will allow them to codeshare more flights to offer their customers more variety when travelling in Southeast Asia and the world. Codesharing is a common method used by airlines to increase their reach by using one plane operated by one airline, but with flight numbers designated for a variety of partner airlines. Many airlines farm out their connecting domestic flights to bring their customers around the destination country. In Thailand, a good example is Bangkok Airways. They presently have codeshare agreements with 27 other international airlines to bring passengers arriving in Bangkok to destinations like Phuket or Koh Samui. The first phase of the new Thai Airways and Singapore Airlines partnership will see codeshare flights increasing between the airline’s respective hubs of Singapore and Bangkok, according to Japan Today. Once the deal receives regulatory approvals, long-haul flights will get the codeshare treatment next, anticipated sometime in the first quarter of 2023.
Singapore Airlines will permit Thai Airways to codeshare their long-haul flights to the United States, Canada, and South Africa at that point. Flights to and from the American hubs of San Francisco, New York, Houston Los Angeles and Seattle will be operated by Singapore Airlines but codeshared by Thai Airways. Also, flights from Vancouver in Canada and Johannesburg and Cape Town in South Africa will share the co-branding.
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These routes are expected to be the start of a massive codeshare agreement between the two airlines to increase connectivity within Thailand and Singapore, as well as in Europe, the Southwest Pacific, and India.
The acting CEO of Thai Airways praised the benefits of the new agreement stating that Thai and Singapore Airlines have shared a long-term relationship, and he was glad that this cooperation between the two airlines will certainly cater for the demand of travellers between Thailand, Singapore, and beyond. He went on to say that it would also enable the expansion of Thai’s network to more service points in the USA, Canada, Europe, South Africa, India, and South West Pacific routes. He stated that the codeshare arrangements will greatly benefit their customers in a range of service areas including the frequent flyer programme, lounge access, customer experiences, and airport ground services. “The collaboration strengthens both the airlines’ networks as members of Star Alliance.”
The CEO of Singapore Airlines agreed, calling the new codeshare deal a win-win situation. He said that Singapore Airlines and Thai Airways International have maintained a close relationship for many years, which they aimed at strengthening through this comprehensive agreement. He went on to say that both airlines have a loyal customer base, as well as extensive operations within South East Asia and around the world, and that this was a win-win opportunity to support the growth of their respective hubs and enhance the options and service offerings for their customers.
The codeshare arrangement of both airlines will enhance connectivity to destinations across networks of both airlines, providing customers with more travel options. Customers will also enjoy greater convenience by being able to make flight reservations in a single booking, and enjoy through check-in of their cabin baggage.
This press release was sourced from Bangkok Airways on 03-Sep-2023.
