Budget carrier Vietjet has inked a cooperation pact with Japan Airlines on routes connecting Vietnam and Japan.
The agreement will initially start with a codeshare partnership offering through ticketing between the two counties, along with domestic and international connections via Vietnam,
JAL serves Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi daily from Tokto Narita and Ho Chi Minh City from Tokto Haneda.
"The launch of this partnership with VietJet represents a significant milestone for the two airlines in providing customers better access to destinations between Japan and Vietnam as well as beyond," Tadashi Fujita, JAL executive vice president, said.
"We believe it will contribute to generating more passenger and cargo traffic between the two countries and open up commercial opportunities on the two airlines’ international networks."
The two airlines are also looking at closer ties on aircraft operations, ground handling and training.
A loyalty programme partnership is expected to begin next year.
JAL scrapped its partnership with Vietnam Airlines last year after rival All Nippon Airways took a strategic stake in the Vietnamese flag carrier.
In just five years Vietjet has grown to a fleet of 48 aircraft serving 67 routes in Vietnam and Asia, including Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, China, Myanmar and Cambodia.
It has about 180 aircraft on order and expects to expand its network to 36 international destinations by 2019.
