National flag carrier Garuda Indonesia has expanded its codeshare agreement with Japan Airlines (JAL), offering more flight options to customers of both airlines.

Garuda agreed to become a marketing carrier for Haneda-Osaka Itami round-trip flights offered by JAL. Meanwhile, JAL also inked a deal to become Garuda’s marketing carrier for Jakarta-Osaka Kansai and Jakarta-Nagoya round-trip flights. 

Garuda commercial director Pikri Ilham Kurniansyah said he expected the expanded codeshare, which will take effect starting May 8, to bolster flight connectivity in Asia-Pacific. 

“Japan represents a very important market for Garuda Indonesia. We hope this expanded agreement will provide our customers with more alternative flight options to or from Japan,” Pikri said in a statement. 

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He added that Garuda would also collaborate with JAL to develop a frequent flyer program. 

The original codeshare agreement between the two airlines added more options to Garuda’s Jakarta-Haneda, Jakarta-Yogyakarta, Jakarta-Surabaya and Jakarta-Narita flight routes. 

JAL has also added more options to its Narita-Jakarta, Haneda-Nagoya, Haneda-New Chitose and Haneda-Fukuoka routes through the original agreement. 

“Through the expanded codeshare agreement, both Garuda and JAL currently have 11 flight routes between Indonesia and Japan,” Pikri said. (rfa/wng)