Major US Carriers Seek Individual Codeshare Agreements
Alaska Airlines and American Airlines are pursuing independent codeshare agreements with Condor and JetSmart, respectively.
Alaska Airlines and American Airlines are pursuing independent codeshare agreements with Condor and JetSmart, respectively.
DALLAS — Alaska Airlines (AS) and American Airlines (AA) are in the process of pursuing independent codeshare agreements with German airline Condor (DE) and Chilean LCC JetSmart (JA), respectively.
FlightGlobal reported this week that German leisure carrier DE has applied to US regulatory authorities to enter a codesharing agreement with AS. According to the application, DE requested to use AS' airline designator code on its international flights beginning on or around June 1. The airline also asked for expedited processing of its application.
Under the proposed agreement, AS would place its code on DE flights between Frankfurt, Germany, and 12 US cities, including Anchorage, Boston, Baltimore, New York, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Portland, Phoenix, Seattle, San Francisco, and Fairbanks.
According to the report, DE stated that the requested codesharing authorization aligns with the applicable open skies air transport agreement between the US and the EU.
Alaska Mileage Plan customers can already earn miles on every DE-AS flight. Passengers can share their membership at check-in or provide their details during online check-in, and the miles will be automatically credited to their account.
For the AA-JA codeshare, the airlines received approval from the US Department of Transportation to enter into a two-year agreement, starting on April 21, 2023. The codeshare permits AA to offer scheduled air services "between points in the United States and worldwide on a third-country codeshare basis."
The agreement also allows JA to display AA's designator code on flights operated by JA "within Chile and between Chile and third countries," as per the DOT filing.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved JA to conduct the proposed services, stating that it is operationally and financially qualified. Furthermore, DOT also noted that AA had conducted a safety audit of JA, which the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has reviewed and found acceptable.
Almost two years ago, AA decided to increase its focus on South America to move past the pre-pandemic split, announcing a partnership with the South American ultra-low-cost carrier.
JetSMART, which was founded in 2016, is based primarily in Chile and Argentina. The airline operates Airbus A320ceo and A320neo aircraft on short-haul flights between the two countries as well as to Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, and Colombia.
What's your take on these codeshare agreements? Let us know in the comments on our social media channels.
Feature Image: Alaska Airlines Boeing 737-9 (N979AK). Photo: Michael Rodeback/Airways
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