by BERNAMA / pic by MUHD AMIN NAHARUL
KUALA LUMPUR – Malaysia Airlines Bhd and Singapore Airlines (SIA) will reactivate their codeshare arrangement between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, and expand it to include 15 domestic points in Malaysia, seven destinations in Europe, and two cities in South Africa.
Both airlines said this follows the announcement that Malaysia and Singapore will launch a Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) arrangement beginning Nov 29, providing customers with seamless journeys for their business or leisure travel.
In a joint statement today, the airlines said 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.
From Nov 29, SIA customers will be able to progressively connect on Malaysia Airlines services out of Kuala Lumpur as the carrier adds 15 new codeshare destinations in Malaysia, they said.
These include Alor Setar, Bintulu, Johor Bahru, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Terengganu, Kuantan, Kuching, Labuan, Langkawi, Miri, Penang, Sandakan, Sibu, and Tawau.
They noted that from Jan 1, 2022, Malaysia Airlines customers will be able to connect on SIA’s flights from Singapore to seven points in Europe which include 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,” the airlines said.
They said this significant expansion of the codeshare arrangements is the first phase of a wide-ranging commercial agreement that Malaysia Airlines and SIA 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,” they said.
Malaysia Airlines group chief executive officer Izham Ismail said Malaysia Airlines looks forward to the long-awaited VTL which 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.
“Our codeshare expansion with SIA to Europe and South Africa could not happen at a better time and we are especially grateful for the synergy and warm relationship between the two airlines, that has made this partnership possible,” he added.