KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia Airlines Bhd and Qatar Airways will significantly expand their codeshare cooperation, allowing passengers to travel the world and enjoy seamless connectivity via their leading hubs in Kuala Lumpur and Doha.
The airlines are adding 34 new destinations to the existing 62 codeshare destinations to enable passengers to enjoy seamless connectivity via the twio cities.
This was announced at the unveiling of their strategic partnership following Malaysia Airline's announcement to launch a non-stop service from Kuala Lumpur to Doha from May 25.
Malaysia Airlines group chief executive officer (CEO) Izham Ismail said the pact showed both carriers' commitment to offering unrivalled range of value-added services to passengers while reflecting the agility and resilience in facing the pandemic challenges.
"We are excited to deepen our cooperation with our long-standing oneworld partner Qatar Airways to bring the world closer to our customers with more choices and flexibility, exceptional services and innovative products, while upholding highest operational safety, just as passengers begin to travel again following the reopening of borders.
"This partnership is opportune in our efforts to boost air traffic and expedite recovery to pre-pandemic levels, while also enhancing our global brand visibility," he said in a statement.
Starting May 25, customers flying on Malaysia Airlines' new Kuala Lumpur to Doha service will have access to 62 codeshare destinations within Qatar Airways' network to the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.
Likewise, Qatar Airways customers travelling from Doha to Kuala Lumpur can transfer to 34 Malaysia Airlines' destinations. This includes their entire domestic network and key markets in Asia, such as Singapore, Seoul, Hong Kong, and Ho Chi Minh City, subject to governmental approval.
In linking both route networks, the national carriers strive to develop Kuala Lumpur as a leading aviation hub in the Southeast Asia region connecting Malaysia, Southeast Asia, Australia and New Zealand with the Middle East, Europe, the Americas and Africa.
Both airlines will also leverage synergies across multiple business areas and develop innovative products to benefit their customers worldwide, they said in the statement.
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker said the group was committed to deliver greater choice and connectivity to its customers around the world.
"We are experiencing a new optimism in air travel and expect a strong rebound in global demand. With our dynamic partnership with Malaysia Airlines, we are aiming to provide unparalleled service and a superior travel experience for our customers," he said.
The enhanced cooperation will also include reciprocal loyalty benefits which enables Qatar Airways Privilege Club members to earn and redeem Avios points when flying on Malaysia Airlines, with similar benefits for Malaysia Airlines Enrich members when travelling on Qatar Airways' services.