Alitalia, Northwest And KLM Begin Code-Share, Frequent Flyer Cooperation
Alitalia, Northwest Airlines and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines announced today that they have implemented reciprocal frequent flyer plan programs as well as code-sharing to 42 cities in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the United States. The code-share service is already available for purchase from Saturday, February 26, for travel beginning April 2.
On April 2, 2000, Northwest launches daily nonstop service in the Detroit-Rome and Detroit-Milan, Italy markets. The flights, which will be operated with Northwest DC10 aircraft, also will carry an Alitalia flight code and will offer convenient connections at Alitalia`s Rome and Milan hubs to major destinations throughout Italy, other parts of Europe, the Middle East and Africa. For passengers traveling from Rome and Milan to Detroit, Northwest offers convenient code-share service to points throughout North America. Detroit is Northwest`s largest hub where it operates more than 500 daily departures with its Airlink partner Mesaba.
A Northwest flight code will also appear on Alitalia`s round-trip trans-Atlantic services which include: JFK (New York)-Rome, JFK-Milan, Miami-Rome, Miami-Milan, Boston-Milan, Chicago-Milan, Los Angeles-Milan, San Francisco-Milan and viceversa. More code-share routes are planned for later this year.
The new code-share service will include the benefits of “seamless” travel including issuance of all boarding passes at initial check-in, through luggage check and coordinated flight schedules.
The reciprocal frequent flyer plans will enhance travel benefits for members of Northwest`s WorldPerks, Alitalia`s Mille Miglia and KLM`s Flying Dutchman programs. Members will be able to travel on any of the three carriers and earn and redeem travel awards on all Northwest, Alitalia and KLM flights. Frequent flyer award travel can be booked immediately for travel beginning April 2.
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“By having an Alitalia flight code on Northwest`s new flights from Rome and Milan to Detroit, we can offer our customers the fastest service from Italy to mid-America and beyond,” said Domenico Cempella, Alitalia managing director and chief executive officer. “Northwest`s convenient connections through Detroit will give our customers an excellent one-stop service to markets throughout North America and support all of our trans-Atlantic flights.”
“Our end-to-end network offers our customers better opportunities for convenient travel and for earning and using free travel awards,” said John Dasburg, Northwest president and chief executive officer. ” Our goal is to offer them a superior seamless travel experience.”
“Our end-to-end network offers our customers better opportunities for convenient travel and for earning and using free travel awards,” said John Dasburg, Northwest president and chief executive officer. ” Our goal is to offer them a superior seamless travel experience.”
“Our tripartite alliance goes beyond other airline partnerships by offering tangible benefits for the international traveler,” said Leo van Wijk, KLM president and chief executive officer. “We want to maximize the comfort and convenience of traveling on the KLM, Alitalia and Northwest system.”
Northwest, KLM and Alitalia have the most integrated alliance in the airline industry. Northwest and KLM were granted antitrust immunity in January, 1993 and have closely linked their flight systems, frequent flyer programs, business class service, airport lounge programs and other products. Northwest, Alitalia and KLM were granted antitrust immunity in December, 1999. Their network will feature hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis, Memphis, Tokyo, Amsterdam, Rome and Milan.
Northwest is the world`s fourth-largest airline offering more than 1,700 daily departures with hubs at Detroit, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Memphis, Tokyo and Amsterdam.
Alitalia is Italy`s national airline and serves 130 cities in 63 countries around the world from its hubs in Rome and Milan. Alitalia offers more nonstop service between the United States and Italy than any other airline. Its North America gateways are New York (JFK), Newark, Boston, Miami, Chicago, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Montreal and Toronto. Alitalia`s 155 aircraft fleet is one of the youngest in Europe, with an average age of just over eight years.
KLM together with its partners serves over 500 cities in nearly 100 countries on six continents. KLM and Alitalia have formed a highly integrated partnership for the passenger and cargo businesses. As of Nov. 1999, the KLM-Alitalia Passenger Venture has resulted in the full integration of both companies` global networks and commercial activities. The KLM-Alitalia Passenger Venture is in effect the largest airline in Europe in terms of number of passengers carried.
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