Emirates, the Dubai-based international carrier, will expand its current partnership with New York-based low-cost carrier (LCC) JetBlue Airways to include bilateral codesharing.

JetBlue will place its B6 airline code on all flights currently operated by Emirates between the US and Dubai International Airport, as well as between New York's John F Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Milan, Italy.

The agreement deepens a three-year partnership between JetBlue and Emirates. Emirates started placing its code on select JetBlue-operated flights in April 2012, expanding an interline agreement that dates back to 2010.

Current codeshare routes offered by Emirates on JetBlue-operated flights cover 28 destinations including Boston, Chicago, Orlando and Puerto Rico. Since March this year, Emirates also began placing its code on additional JetBlue routes, including Bridgetown, Barbados, Cancun, Mexico, Montego Bay, Jamaica and Santo Domingo, Santiago and Punta Cana, Dominican Republic.

Through the existing agreement, customers enjoy the convenience of a single combined ticket for Emirates and JetBlue-operated flights, plus other benefits including one-stop check-in and baggage transfer.

Members of Skywards, the Emirates reward program, can earn miles on JetBlue-operated flights and also redeem miles for flights to any of JetBlue's 77 destinations throughout the Americas. Similarly, members of JetBlue's TrueBlue loyalty programme can earn points for Emirates-operated flights worldwide.

"As Emirates continues to expand its presence in the US market, our partnership offering with JetBlue provides customers with convenient connections from its extensive network to our seven US gateways, including our twice daily A380 service non-stop from JFK to Dubai," said Thierry Antinori, Emirates' executive vice president of Passenger Sales Worldwide.

"Offering a boost to tourism and added convenience for inbound travellers, the codeshare also gives Emirates' customers a new choice of destinations with the benefit of a single combined ticket."

"Putting our code on another airline is a significant milestone for JetBlue; we're proud to do it with Emirates, a fantastic partner for JetBlue over the past years," said JetBlue's chief commercial officer Robin Hayes.
"Emirates' product and network is exceptional and has been providing our customers easy access to all corners of the globe in comfort and style. We trust this expansion will create additional ease of travel for our customers." – TradeArabia News Service