New use for your JP miles as Jet Airways expands relationship with Delta, Air France and KLM

In March this year, Jet Airways moved its European hub (as part of its hub-and-spoke model) from Brussels to Amsterdam, while concurrently launching services to Amsterdam. Jet Airways has also operated daily flights on the Mumbai-Paris route for more than two years now. All of these give Jet Airways access to code-shares out of Amsterdam and Paris.

So the latest news is that Jet Airways will enhance its cooperation with Delta Air Lines and joint venture partner Air France-KLM. Here's more on this development.

According to this release put out by Delta earlier today, and this press item, Jet Airways' existing code-share arrangement is likely to be replaced by a joint venture arrangement (similar to what Delta currently has in place with Air France-KLM). That means greater sharing of routes, seats, costs and revenues, though I'm not sure of the mechanics as yet. FWIW, Air France and KLM are partner airlines of Jet Airways, while Delta is not.

Jet's press release page doesn't have anything on this subject at this point in time.

What's being considered

What is clear is that the partnership will expand to beyond just code-share routes, to virtually all routes of the airlines involved. That is to say, seamless travel is now possible for:

• Jet Airways passengers across KLM's, Air France's, and Delta's entire network, and 
• KLM, Air France and Delta passengers will now have access to Jet Airways' entire India network.

The deal is subject to government approvals, but there seem to be no significant apparent challenges that may stop this from going through.

Award tickets

Out of the proposed partnership, there's one significant benefit to frequent fliers and mileage addicts. Delta's press release indicates full reciprocity to earn and redeem miles across each others' networks. 

Jet Airways international wide-body business class

That means you will be able to redeem JP miles across a wider selection of flights - virtually the entire networks of Delta, Air France and KLM. In turn, Delta's SkyMiles members and Air France-KLM's Flying Blue members will have access to Jet Airways' award inventory across its entire operations. 

Speculation time!

The thickness of the proposed partnership is such, that there seems to be a possibility of Jet Airways joining the SkyTeam airline alliance. While this is just speculation on my end at this stage, and to quote Shakespeare, the aviation industry is capable of strange bedfellows!

Yet, it may not be so strange, now that Air India is firmly entrenched with Star Alliance, and we speculate that Air Vistara could go the oneworld way!

Finally, Etihad's ownership of Jet Airways is something to consider. With a 24% stake in Jet Airways, Etihad would clearly have been involved with much of the decision making on behalf of Jet, on this particular announcement. So are we to see some sort of arrangement between Etihad and Delta / AF / KLM some time soon?

Bottom line

Jet Airways only recently moved its Mumbai-Paris flight schedule from a daytime flight to an overnight one, which takes effect from 30 October 2016. 

9W124 BOM0245 – 0820CDG 332 D
9W123 CDG1130 – 0045+1BOM 332 D

The new schedule provides passengers access a wider range of connecting flight options from CDG Paris.

So, given all that's happening, I can't be sure if this partnership (or something on these lines) was discussed prior to Jet Airways' move to Amsterdam. However, that may well have been the case, and the last few months may have been used to tie up the finer points. That said, this is a great proposal, should it see the light of day after clearing the regulatory aspects.