Air India, a Tata Group airline, has entered an interline partnership with Bangkok Airways. The partnership enables Air India passengers to take connections via Air India’s Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore gateways to and from 10 destinations in Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia on Bangkok Airways’ route network. The scope of the agreement between the two airlines includes Inter Airline Through Check-In (IATCI) implementation, which enables travellers to receive their boarding passes at the first point of departure for all the travel sectors on a single ticket, and have their baggage checked-in through to their final destinations.

Air India flyers taking connecting flights on Bangkok Airways will also receive complimentary access to Bangkok Airways’ Boutique Lounges and Courtesy Corners at available airports, regardless of the cabin class they fly. Air India and Bangkok Airways have also entered a Special Prorate Agreement, which allows both carriers to file ‘through fares’ on routes covering each other’s networks.

Nipun Aggarwal, Chief Commercial & Transformation Office, Air India, said, “One of our strategic priorities at Air India is to offer our guests the choice of flying to more places through our own as well as an augmented global network. We are happy to join hands with Bangkok Airways as part of that effort to provide our guests greater connectivity within Thailand and other countries in Southeast Asia.”

Air India flyers can connect to the following points in Thailand through Bangkok Airways: Chiang Mai, Lampang, Sukhothai, Trat, Koh Samui, Phuket, and Krabi. The points outside of Thailand include Luang Prabang in Laos; and Phnom Penh, Siem Reap in Cambodia.

Chulin Kocharoen, Vice President – Network and Product Development of Bangkok Airways PLC, said, “Air India is a leading global airline with a major presence in India and across the world. We are pleased to enter an interline partnership with Air India to strengthen our respective route networks and offer business and leisure travellers with unprecedented and convenient access to new gateways. Moreover, Air India passengers traveling on Bangkok Airways flights will enjoy the boutique airline’s unparalleled services such as lounge access at available airports, in-flight meal and much more.”

In addition to the Bangkok gateway, Air India guests can also choose to fly to Koh Samui via Singapore and Hong Kong. Air India operates daily flights to Bangkok from Delhi and Mumbai, to Singapore from Delhi (twice daily), Mumbai, and Chennai, and thrice a week to Hong Kong from Delhi.