Tata-owned Air India and Lufthansa Group signed a joint business agreement, under which both parties will collaborate on several strategic aspects, including coordinated route planning and flight schedules in selected markets, the Indian airline said on Tuesday, 17 February.
The airlines entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on Tuesday to establish a framework for a joint business agreement that will cover Air India, Air India Express, and Lufthansa Group carriers and subsidiaries. These include Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), and other affiliated airlines.
The proposed partnership with Germany’s Lufthansa Group also seeks to explore opportunities emerging from the India-European Union Free Trade Agreement, which was finalised in January.
Regulatory approvals pending
Air India said that the detailed scope, including particular routes and markets, will be determined once a comprehensive joint business agreement is established, pending regulatory approvals.
“Subject to requisite regulatory and anti-trust approvals, the carriers intend to collaborate across multiple strategic areas, including coordinated route planning and flight schedules in specific markets for greater customer convenience and enhanced connectivity, as well as joint sales, marketing and distribution initiatives,” Air India said.
“Further cooperation would encompass the joint development and coordination for improved customer experiences in areas such as frequent flyer programmes, IT infrastructure – customer journey, quality assurance, and other mutually beneficial initiatives – to enhance the ease of travel for our customers,” the airline added.
The MoU will initially aim to increase passenger traffic flows between India and Lufthansa Group’s main home market region, which includes Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. They would also look to include the rest of Europe and the Indian subcontinent.
At present, Air India and Lufthansa Group airlines have codeshare agreements for 145 routes across 15 Indian cities, 29 European cities, and 20 countries. In February 2025, both parties also announced the expansion of the codeshare agreements between Air India, Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines.
Air India has 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements with various carriers. A codeshare partnership allows passengers to travel on a single ticket on different flights.
Lufthansa Group ranks as the fourth-largest airline group worldwide by revenue and fleet size. It manages five national airlines in major European markets, along with other private, travel-focused airlines, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Technik, and more than 300 subsidiaries and affiliated companies under the Lufthansa Group brand, according to the release.
