Japan Airlines says it will launch a joint business partnership with Indonesia’s largest carrier around next April. JAL is aiming to strengthen its flight business in Asia by tapping into Indonesia’s growing economy.
JAL said on Thursday that its President and CEO Tottori Mitsuko and Garuda Indonesia President and CEO Irfan Setiaputra signed a joint business agreement.
The deal will involve joint efforts to set flight schedules and manage revenues as if under a single company. The two firms will also cooperate on ticket sales and travel package planning.
JAL and Garuda belong to different international airline alliances. The agreement marks the first time that the Japanese carrier has entered into a joint business relationship of this nature with a member of a different alliance.
Tottori said the deal is essential to JAL’s future growth as it has limited resources for harnessing demand from Indonesia.
Irfan described the agreement as historic for both firms and said he hopes travel between the two countries will increase.
All Nippon Airways is also moving to form a similar arrangement with Singapore Airlines.