A code share pact has been sealed between British Airways and Kingfisher Airlines prior to the private Indian carrier joining the Oneworld alliance.
A date for Kingfisher to join the global airline grouping has yet to be confirmed, but the code share on flights between the UK and India will start later this month.
The BA flight prefix will be added to Kingfisher flights across India. The Kingfisher IT prefix will be placed on BA services to key European cities, with full details yet to be announced.
A new international terminal opening in New Delhi next month will see a Kingfisher premium lounge being shared by six alliance carriers serving the Indian capital.
Kingfisher’s move into to Oneworld will see 56 Indian cities added to the alliance’s global network.
Leading Russian domestic carrier S7 Airlines is next in line to join later in the year.
BA chief executive Willie Walsh said: “We are very pleased to have gained regulatory approval so quickly from New Delhi to add Kingfisher Airlines to Oneworld – and we intend to move ahead with its implementation just as speedily and smoothly.”
Kingfisher flew more than 11 million passengers last year and claims a 23 per cent share of the domestic air travel market in India.