The deal between IAG and its largest shareholder Qatar Airways will come into effect on October 30.
Crucially, the partnership will allow the carriers to provide passengers with better links and an even more seamless travel experience between the UK, Asia, Middle East and Africa. The joint business will see the two airlines code-share on all non-stop flights between the UK and Doha to offer customers a combined route network that will serve more than 70 destinations.
Between the airlines’ hubs of London and Doha, the new partnership will offer seven daily non-stop services in both directions.
Qatar Airways group chief executive Akbar al-Baker said, "British Airways is an airline steeped in history and prestige and we are proud to be partnering with them to offer our passengers an even greater choice of global destinations. This partnership brings together two world-class airlines to provide an enhanced operation for our passengers with increased daily flights between London and Doha, greater choice of flight schedules, wider range of fares and improved members benefits.
“Today’s announcement reinforces our already established relationship with IAG and we look forward to welcoming British Airways’ direct flights to our hub, Hamad International Airport, where we can provide passengers with seamless access to our global network of more than 150 destinations.”
IAG chief executive Willie Walsh said, “We are delighted to announce this joint business with Qatar Airways, which is one of the world's premier airlines. This agreement will benefit customers by giving them access to more destinations through Qatar Airways’ extensive network. It will also allow us to provide easier journeys with better aligned schedules, more frequencies and improved flight transfers. This partnership follows the commercial agreement with IAG Cargo signed two years ago and enhances our relationship with Qatar Airways further.”
The agreement will also strengthen the "oneworld" alliance and enable it to compete more effectively on the included routes creating greater competition and increased options for consumers, Qatar Airways said in a release.
Regulatory authorities have been informed of plans to operate single timetables and set common fares, a Bloomberg dispatch showed.
Joint ventures are the closest form of collaboration open to airlines from different countries and regions that are unable to merge due to regulatory restrictions, with IAG’s trans-Atlantic pact with American Airlines Group Inc. is one of the biggest profit generators in the industry.
According to Bloomberg, some code-sharing routes announced between IAG and Qatar Airways required government approval before operations can begin. Those include routes to India, France, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Rwanda and the Philippines, it said.
Qatar Airways’ A380 currently serves the Doha and London Heathrow route
Qatar Airways and British Airways’ parent company, International Airlines Group (IAG), have concluded a joint business agreement that would benefit their customers through better fares, wider choice of flights and an enhanced network.
