Virgin Australia, Singapore Airlines alliance takes shape

SilkAir, the regional wing of Singapore Airlines, will begin direct air services between Singapore and Darwin on 26 March 2012, subject to regulatory approvals.

This service will tie in with a new Virgin Australia service between Sydney and Darwin from 2 April, putting substance into the recently approved alliance between Virgin Australia and Singapore Airlines.

Virgin Australia will fly daily on the route, while SilkAir will start with four flights per week 

The two airlines also confirmed that from 20 December this year they will commence reciprocal frequent flyer recognition; and from early next year they will inaugurate codesharing.

 Virgin Australia also announced that it would open a lounge at Darwin Airport to cater for travellers with both airline groups.

This is good news for not just those airlines but also for Darwin Airport which has been struggling to find international services.

It's not particularly a challenge in any sense to the Qantas Group, but it is a taste of other potential innovations that might have more significance for the Alan Joyce team and its morphing strategy in Asia.