Jet Airways is extending its code share agreement with Brussels Airline from 30 March to include cities such as Berlin, Lyon in France and Barcelona in Spain. Jet is hopeful that the extension will have a positive effect on the airline’s cargo traffic, although it is primarily aimed at the passenger side of the business.
Brussels Airport, which is Jet Airways’ European hub, will be used for connecting flights to the three new destinations and the group’s chairman Naresh Goyal has said the carrier will intensify the search for new landing points in Germany.
"We have, of course, tried to get Frankfurt, Germany’s largest airport, but it does not have a free slot until 2012," he told Cargonews Asia in Berlin. "Jet Airways is trying to get either Munich or Dusseldorf.”
"Germany is an important point for us because of the growing Indo-German trade,” Goyal added.
Air India is the only other Indian carrier currently flying to Germany, although Lufthansa off ers a number of flights to major cities in India and continues to build up its India routes.
"It’s not going to get crowded. There is room for all three of us," Goyal said. when asked if there was room for another airlineoperating between India and Germany.
Goyal also revealed that Jet Airways was planning to connect more cities between India and North America via its Brussels hub. The carrier is also set to introduce flights to Hong Kong from 14 April.
Rumours, meanwhile, continue to swirl amongst industry circles that the carrier is in talks with Lufthansa on setting up ajoint cargo carrier.