AUSTRIAN has announced the addition of several routes to its existing codeshare agreement with United Airlines.
Beginning on August 19 the codeshare relationship will expand to cover all United’s flights between the US and London’s Heathrow Airport. The US cities included are Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Newark, San Francisco and Washington Dulles.
Further expansion of the codeshare arrangement takes place on October 25 when the codeshare will expand to cover flights between:
Newark and Los Angeles
Newark and San Francisco
The codeshare arrangements will help Austrians passengers book streamlined tickets between Vienna and the US via London Heathrow as well as onward travel to the west coast from Austrians service between Vienna and Newark.
Makes sense as Austrian doesn’t serve the west coast and probably doesn’t intend to any time soon. But going from LAX/SFO to Vienna via FRA or MUC is significantly faster and easier than via EWR (and for travel to the US, doesn’t require the awkward pick-up-your-bags-and-go-through-customs routine at first port of entry in the U.S.)
I’ve not seen Austrian flights on United.com, when searching for award flights. Can we expoect to see inventory with United award flights?
Unlikely. I don’t think this will prompt OS to increase inventory…unfortunately.