Caption: L-R: Mr. Rolland Besoa Razafimaharo, CEO, Air Madagascar; Mr. Sebastian Mikosz, Group MD/CEO, Kenya Airways; and Mr. Marie-Joseph Malé, President/CEO, Air Austral during the formalization of the Privileged Partnership Agreement, recently
Air Madagascar, Kenya Airways and Air Austral have formalized a privileged partnership to develop code share agreements and increase their connectivity options, thereby boost their footprints in Africa and the Indian Ocean Island.
Through the privileged partnership, the three airlines sealed their commitment to offer their customers a larger choice of destinations and service with more efficient connections via their hubs. In addition to this partnership, the respective subsidiaries of the three partners namely Tsaradia, Jambojet and Ewa Air from Madagascar, Kenya & Reunion Island respectively, are also part of the Privileged Partnership Agreement and shall be included as participants in later phases of implementation.
Mr. Rolland Besoa Razafimaharo, CEO of Air Madagascar, says: “Code-sharing with Kenya Airways on the Nairobi-Antananarivo and Nairobi-Reunion routes is a strong achievement and a promising first step as to the opportunities this privileged partnership offers for our three companies. Whether commercial or operational, there are many opportunities for synergies. With Air Austral, our strategic partner, and now Kenya Airways, our privileged partner, we firmly intend to deploy them for the development of our respective presence in the Africa and Indian Ocean Zone and thus be able to offer an ever wider offer to our clients.”
Mr. Sebastian Mikosz, Group Managing Director & CEO of Kenya Airways, “Passenger traffic between Africa & Indian Ocean Islands has grown 10% over the last 12 months and this privileged partnership opens more choices for travelers from vanilla islands and Africa. Our customers will now have better access to La Reunion and Madagascar. This is consistent with Kenya Airways’ strategy to grow its revenue and improve network efficiency by growth through partners while focusing on corporate and leisure segments.”
Mr. Marie-Joseph Malé, President & CEO of Air Austral, “Air Austral is very proud of the execution today of the Privileged Partnership which now ties our three airlines and is unprecedented in the Indian Ocean region. It offers outstanding development opportunities. Nairobi becomes for our customers the gate to the African continent and will allow great developments of trade and tourism. Through the partnership with Kenya Airways, the Air Austral-Air Madagascar Strategic Partnership is on the rise.”
The code sharing agreement between Kenya Airways and Air Madagascar on Antananarivo – Nairobi route will be effective from 21st January 2019, while the code share agreement between Kenya Airways and Air Austral on Nairobi – La Reunion route via Antananarivo will be implemented at a later stage.