Air India and Lufthansa Group Sign Landmark MoU to Advance Joint Business Partnership

Air India and Lufthansa Group Sign Landmark MoU to Advance Joint Business Partnership

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on February 18, 2026

Air India and Lufthansa Group have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), creating a formal framework to explore a joint business partnership between the two airline groups. The agreement covers Air India’s and Lufthansa Group’s carriers and subsidiaries, including Air India Express, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, ITA Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss International Air Lines (SWISS), and other affiliated airlines.

Building on existing codeshare agreements and their shared membership in Star Alliance, the MoU allows both groups to jointly explore ways to strengthen connectivity between India and major European markets. The aim is to offer travellers more connected and consistent travel experiences across some of the world’s busiest routes, with seamless journeys on a single ticket.

The MoU was signed by Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director of Air India, and Carsten Spohr, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Lufthansa Group. The agreement also seeks to leverage opportunities created by the recent conclusion of the landmark India–European Union Free Trade Agreement.

Subject to regulatory and anti-trust approvals, the partnership will explore collaboration across several strategic areas. These include coordinated route planning and aligned flight schedules in select markets to improve customer convenience and connectivity. The airlines also plan to work together on joint sales, marketing, and distribution initiatives.

Further cooperation would extend to enhancing customer experience through closer coordination in areas such as frequent flyer programmes, IT infrastructure, customer journey design, quality assurance, and other mutually beneficial initiatives aimed at making travel easier and more consistent for passengers.

Initially, the MoU focuses on increasing passenger traffic between Air India’s home market of India and Lufthansa Group’s core home market region, which includes Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy, and Switzerland. The framework also proposes future expansion to cover the rest of Europe and the Indian subcontinent. The exact scope, including specific routes and markets, will be finalised once a comprehensive joint business agreement is established, subject to regulatory approvals.

Carsten Spohr, Chairman of the Executive Board of Deutsche Lufthansa AG and Chief Executive Officer of the Lufthansa Group, said:

"Today's agreement with our long-standing Star Alliance partner Air India is a strong signal of our mutual determination to open a new chapter in aviation between the EU and India following the landmark trade agreement between both economic regions. Together with Air India, we will strengthen our access to the aviation market with the highest growth rates worldwide. The Lufthansa Group is already the most successful and most popular European airline group among customers in India. In the future, we will contribute to deepening economic and cultural relations between India and Europe with even more connections. With our new long-haul aircraft and Lufthansa Allegris and SWISS Senses on board, we are offering a significantly improved premium travel experience in all classes on more and more routes, including to India.”

Campbell Wilson, Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, Air India, said:

“This milestone in our deepening relationship with the Lufthansa Group is great news for travellers and enterprises alike between India and Europe. As Air India continues to expand its global footprint with a fast-modernising fleet and transformed product and service offerings, this framework enables us to explore closer cooperation on multiple fronts to meet the growing trade, commerce, and people-to-people ties between our respective regions. This would unlock greater value for our common customers and respective shareholders, and we look forward to progressing these initiatives together with the Lufthansa Group.”

Air India and Lufthansa Group carriers currently codeshare on 145 routes across 15 Indian and 29 European cities in 20 countries. In February 2025, both groups announced an expansion of their codeshare agreements involving Air India, Lufthansa, SWISS, and Austrian Airlines.

India and the European Union are among the world’s strongest economies, together accounting for nearly 25% of global GDP. According to the European Commission, the EU is India’s largest trading partner for goods, with bilateral trade exceeding €120 billion in 2024. India is also the EU’s ninth-largest trading partner, representing 2.4% of total EU goods trade in the same year.

Since its privatisation in 2022, Air India has significantly expanded its global alliance network. The airline now maintains 24 codeshare partnerships and nearly 100 interline agreements, providing access to over 800 destinations worldwide.

The Lufthansa Group is the fourth-largest airline group globally by revenue and fleet size. It operates five national airlines across key European markets, along with other travel-focused airlines, Lufthansa Cargo, Lufthansa Technik, and more than 300 subsidiaries and affiliated companies. In 2024, the group carried over 131 million passengers, offering access to the largest airline network in Europe.


Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Hosts Victoria’s Secret ‘Rome After Dark’ Launch with Triptii Dimri

Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj Hosts Victoria’s Secret ‘Rome After Dark’ Launch with Triptii Dimri

By Hariharan U

Published on August 22, 2026

Ambience Mall, Vasant Kunj, hosted an exclusive ‘Rome After Dark’ experience by Victoria’s Secret, marking the launch of the brand’s latest Very Sexy Collection and bringing together fashion, luxury and experiential retail.

Inspired by the romance and mystique of Rome, the launch transformed the Victoria’s Secret store into an immersive setting reflecting the collection’s distinctive aesthetic and after-dark appeal.

Actor Triptii Dimri joined the event as the special guest, adding a celebrity and fashion dimension to the evening. Her presence further enhanced the launch, which brought together the brand’s signature fashion identity with an experience-led retail format.

Speaking on the occasion, Arjun Gehlot, Director, Ambience Group, said that luxury retail destinations are increasingly defined by the experiences they create alongside the brands they house. He highlighted the mall’s focus on bringing leading international and premium brands together with experiences designed for an evolving, fashion-conscious consumer.

Shahista Gehlot, Director, Ambience Group, added that contemporary luxury is increasingly about being distinctive, relevant and ahead of the curve. She noted that the ‘Rome After Dark’ experience combined fashion, trends and a strong sense of occasion, reflecting the evolving retail environment at Ambience Mall.

The Very Sexy Collection takes inspiration from Rome’s timeless romance and after-dark allure. Through the ‘Rome After Dark’ narrative, Victoria’s Secret has created a retail experience centred around discovery and engagement while retaining the brand’s distinctive visual and fashion language.

The launch also underlines Ambience Mall Vasant Kunj’s continued focus on premium and luxury retail. The destination brings together international and Indian brands spanning fashion, beauty, lifestyle and dining, positioning itself as a destination that combines shopping with fashion, culture and entertainment.

Over the years, Ambience Mall has also hosted prominent celebrities for brand launches and engagements, further strengthening its role within Delhi’s premium retail and lifestyle landscape.

With Victoria’s Secret’s latest collection at the centre of the evening and Triptii Dimri adding a celebrity presence, the ‘Rome After Dark’ launch showcased how luxury retail is increasingly moving beyond conventional shopping to create immersive and experience-led brand interactions.


TSG Aura Resort Hosts Special Lunch for Students in Shaheed Dweep

TSG Aura Resort Hosts Special Lunch for Students in Shaheed Dweep

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 22, 2026

TSG Aura Resort hosted a special lunch for students of Government Middle School, Sitapur, Shaheed Dweep, South Andaman, as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.

The initiative was planned to give the young students a warm and memorable experience. The resort team spent time with the children, interacted with them and shared moments of happiness during the gathering.

More than just providing a meal, the occasion gave the team an opportunity to connect with the students and make them feel valued and appreciated. Through initiatives such as this, TSG Hotels & Resorts continues to engage with the local community and support efforts that contribute to the well-being of people in the destinations where it operates.


Jivraj9 Tea Group Contributes ₹12.5 Lakhs to Assam CM Relief Fund for Flood Relief Efforts

Jivraj9 Tea Group Contributes ₹12.5 Lakhs to Assam CM Relief Fund for Flood Relief Efforts

By Manu Vardhan Kannan

Published on August 20, 2026

Reinforcing its strong connection with Assam and the communities that are an important part of India’s tea ecosystem, Jivraj9 Tea Group has contributed ₹12.5 lakhs to the Assam Chief Minister’s Relief Fund.

The contribution aims to support relief and rehabilitation efforts for communities affected by the recent floods in Assam. For Jivraj9 Tea Group, this initiative goes beyond a corporate social responsibility effort, reflecting its commitment to giving back to a region that has played a significant role in the tea industry.

The company believes that Assam’s contribution to the tea sector extends beyond tea production, with its people, communities and ecosystem forming an essential part of the industry’s journey.

Viren Shah, Chairman & Managing Director (CMD), Jivraj9 Tea Group, said “Our relationship with Assam is rooted in tea, but it goes beyond the tea that is sourced from the region. It is a relationship with the people, communities and ecosystem that have made Assam such an important part of India’s tea story. We have always believed that when a region contributes to your business and your industry, you have a responsibility to contribute back to it as well. Our contribution to the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund is a small step from our side towards supporting the relief efforts and the people affected by the floods.”

Sharing his thoughts, Pathik Shah, Executive Director (ED), Jivraj9 Tea Group said “Our responsibility does not end with producing and delivering quality tea. It also extends to recognising and supporting the ecosystem that makes our industry possible. Assam has given enormously to the identity and strength of Indian tea. At a time when people across the state are facing difficulty, we wanted to contribute towards the collective relief effort in whatever way we could.”

Assam remains one of the most important tea-growing regions in India, with its unique geography, climate and rich tea heritage shaping the identity of Indian tea. The state has supported generations of communities whose livelihoods are closely connected with the tea industry.

Jivraj9 Tea Group’s association with Assam reflects its connection with the origins and value chain of the tea it delivers to consumers across India and international markets.

Through this contribution, the company continues to focus on building meaningful relationships across the tea value chain while supporting the communities and regions that play an important role in its journey.

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