Qantas-IndiGo partnership

[bussyboy]

Just saw this on the QF homepage, couldn't see it in the previous Newsroom articles - codeshare flights through India opening up, greatly expanding opportunities throughout the subcontinent

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/indigo-airlines.html

 

[SeatBackForward]

Just saw this on the QF homepage, couldn't see it in the previous Newsroom articles - codeshare flights through India opening up, greatly expanding opportunities throughout the subcontinent

https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/indigo-airlines.html

Being QF status doesn't seem to provide many benefits, but it does indicate they will be ticketed as QF flights to earn SC's, thats a good thing.

 

[bussyboy]

Does codeshare allow for "domestic" India flights to be QF ticketed?

 

[SeatBackForward]

Does codeshare allow for "domestic" India flights to be QF ticketed?

If it's not on that list, its unlikely to be. The purpose of those codeshare flights is to act as feeders to/from the QF flights. So if you're flying Mumbai to say Kolkata, there's not benefit to QF so they wouldn't codeshare it.

It is interesting the destinations from Delhi that QF is codesharing is quite limited. For example, Delhi to Mumbai, major cities and destinations for Australian travellers, there is no codeshare.

 

[Daver6]

This partnership really looks quite poor. Like @SeatBackForward the lack of flights from DEL is interesting.

Really zero benefits for QF status pax in Y with the only tangible benefit is free food and drink.

I don't see this tie-up changing my choice of airlines within India. I suspect to earn QF points and SCs it will cost more than booking directly with IndiGo. So you can fly a LCC with no real benefits or for not much money at all just fly Vistara in Y+, get priority everything and a half decent meal. I think I'll stick with the Vistara Y+ option.

 

[Mattg]

IndiGo codeshare tickets are now available for sale.

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect/au/en/agency-news/agency-news-august-22/qantas-boosts-india-connectivity-with-launch-of-indigo-codeshare.html

 

[SeatBackForward]

The IndiGo codeshare partnership commenced today.

https://www.qantas.com/agencyconnect/au/en/agency-news/agency-news-august-22/qantas-boosts-india-connectivity-with-launch-of-indigo-codeshare.html

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Don't expect any special treatment as a QF status passenger however.

 

[SeatBackForward]

Shame than Mangalore isn't on the codeshare list, that would've been helpful for me in future. Looks like the 12hr scenic train journey instead - not that I'm averse to a good rail journey

 

[Mattg]

Don't expect any special treatment as a QF status passenger however.

Apparently you're supposed to get complimentary food & drink and a checked bag as a QF codeshare passenger. But yes, no special status benefits.

 

[Mattg]

Interestingly, the Qantas website is showing domestic codeshare flights available to book as Classic Rewards (Y only). Not sure if this is a mistake?

 

[Daver6]

What makes no sense to me is IndiGo don't have a J product or lounges as far as I'm aware. So what's all the nonsense about J on this page? https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/indigo-airlines.html

 

[Mattg]

What makes no sense to me is IndiGo don't have a J product or lounges as far as I'm aware. So what's all the nonsense about J on this page? https://www.qantas.com/au/en/qantas-experience/network-and-partner-airlines/indigo-airlines.html

According to that page, lounge access is only available with IndiGo if you're in business class.

If IndiGo doesn't have J, then there's no lounge access provided. So it's technically not wrong.

 

[Daver6]

According to that page, lounge access is only available with IndiGo if you're in business class.

If IndiGo doesn't have J, then there's no lounge access provided. So it's technically not wrong.

Looking more closely it looks like with 6E you can book into a partner lounge and pay for priority boarding and check-in. So maybe on a QF J fare they'll give you that access to that. See https://www.goindigo.in/add-on-services.html?linkNav=add-on-services_Header~info for add-ons.

Suggesting it's J though is just setting up customers to be annoyed.

 

[jase05]

Looking more closely it looks like with 6E you can book into a partner lounge and pay for priority boarding and check-in. So maybe on a QF J fare they'll give you that access to that. See https://www.goindigo.in/add-on-services.html?linkNav=add-on-services_Header~info for add-ons.

Suggesting it's J though is just setting up customers to be annoyed.

Yep, pretty sure you can add on lounge access for a small fee to any of their fares. Have been told it was 1200 rupees for lounge access from someone who visits home regularly. She said the lounges are pretty poor though (well at least the ones she uses).
She raves about Vistara though and said they are her preference

 

[Daver6]

Yep, pretty sure you can add on lounge access for a small fee to any of their fares. Have been told it was 1200 rupees for lounge access from someone who visits home regularly. She said the lounges are pretty poor though (well at least the ones she uses).
She raves about Vistara though and said they are her preference

I've flown Vistara twice (DEL - PNQ) in Y+ and am also extremely impressed. As I said up-thread, I'll continue to go with Vistara for forgo QF points and SCs.

 

[HS-TQE]

Going by connection times of 3.5hrs (including Int-Dom transfer) it's probably still easier to do a int-int connection via most Asian ports, even if purchasing a QF/SQ interline via SIN (with no FF benefits on the SQ operated leg).

 

[SeatBackForward]

Going by connection times of 3.5hrs (including Int-Dom transfer) it's probably still easier to do a int-int connection via most Asian ports, even if purchasing a QF/SQ interline via SIN (with no FF benefits on the SQ operated leg).

or even DXB then into Indian Cities

 

[MathNerd]

or even DXB then into Indian Cities

With the DXB option though, you're flying over a lot of South India (where BLR is) on the way to DXB, and then backtrack all the way back. Not very efficient (unless you're in J or F in which case the more time in the air the better).
Same deal with AUH.

 

[SeatBackForward]

With the DXB option though, you're flying over a lot of South India (where BLR is) on the way to DXB, and then backtrack all the way back. Not very efficient (unless you're in J or F in which case the more time in the air the better).
Same deal with AUH.

Agreed, but the timing of some of these can work reasonably well to arrive into the Indian cities earlier in the day also - and certainly pre-covid, you could fly into cities from DXB that even this IndiGo agreement doesn't cover.

 

[jpp42]

Trying to price SYD-BOM, some of the codeshare flight timings offered at BLR are laughable. After a 1625 arrival, there are three evening flights which are fine, but why bother listing the ones the next morning like 0440, 0600, 0700, etc? Who is going to realistically use that kind of itinerary?

Now, if they threw in an included overnight stay at the BLR airport Taj Hotel that would be another story.

The original partnership announcement indicates that some Indigo flights from Singapore would be included, although they tend to have poor timings they might connect with various Qantas services - but it seems like none of these are actually present yet? The final announcement doesn't show Singapore.

Also, I agree that the lack of connections from DEL is puzzling - why would you fly e.g. MEL-SYD-BLR-BOM when you could fly one-stop MEL-DEL and separate ticket DEL-BOM (or better yet, MEL-SIN-BOM on SQ with a protected connection and no domestic transfer in India).