Air India said the arrangement strengthens connectivity between India and Bhutan and gives passengers easier access to destinations across both airlines' networks.

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What The Partnership Means For Travellers

Under the interline arrangement, passengers can book a single itinerary covering Air India and Drukair flights.

They can also get coordinated baggage transfer to their final destination.

Air India said the partnership will offer competitive interline fares, giving passengers more flexibility and connectivity.

For Air India passengers, the deal provides access to Paro in Bhutan through Delhi from across Air India's international network.

They can also connect onward from Paro to Bumthang, Gelephu, and Yonphula within Bhutan.

For Drukair passengers, the partnership opens access to Air India's domestic network through Delhi, Guwahati, and Kolkata.

That includes major Indian cities such as Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Kochi.

More International Connections

Drukair passengers can also connect through Air India's network to international destinations including Paris Charles de Gaulle, Colombo, Newark, Frankfurt, New York's JFK, London Heathrow, Melbourne, San Francisco, Sydney, Toronto Pearson, and Vancouver.

Air India said it can now offer connectivity to nearly all SAARC countries through its own or partner network.

The SAARC region includes India, Bhutan, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Afghanistan, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

"Our partnership with Drukair reinforces our commitment to strengthening connectivity across the SAARC region, which we consider our extended home market," said Nipun Aggarwal, chief commercial officer of Air India.

"Bhutan is a valued part of this region, and we are happy to enable easy access to Bhutan for our guests and look forward to welcoming Drukair's passengers onto Air India's extensive domestic and global network," he added.

Tandi Wangchuk, chief executive officer of Drukair, said the partnership was a "significant milestone" for the airline.

"Through this interline partnership with Air India, Drukair-Royal Bhutan Airlines customers will benefit from seamless journeys, expanded access to key international markets, and improved connectivity across India and beyond," he said.

An interline arrangement allows airlines to issue and accept tickets for flights operated by their partner.

This means passengers can book flights operated by both airlines under a single itinerary, with the operating airlines' flight numbers used on the ticket.