The Vanilla Alliance has outlined the first steps taken to improve regional synergies within the Indian Ocean region as well as future collaborative efforts between its constituent members.
Founded in September 2015, the alliance counts Air Austral (UU, St. Denis de la Réunion), Air Madagascar (MD, Antananarivo), Air Mauritius (MK, Mauritius), Air Seychelles (HM, Mahé), and Int'Air Îles (Anjouan) as its only current members.
As such, during a meeting held between the heads of all four long haul carriers in Saint-Denis de La Reunion last week, the Alliance announced it would be launching an "Indian Ocean Pass" in October this year. The pass will offer reduced price regional flights on four alliance carriers - Air Austral, Air Madagascar, Air Seychelles, and Air Mauritius - with a minimum of three routes that can be purchased simultaneously. It is open to all who hold a long haul ticket for the region as well as all residents of the Vanilla Islands (the Seychelles, Madagascar, La Réunion, Mauritius, the Comoros, Mayotte, and the Maldives).
To guarantee the viability of the Indian Ocean Pass project, the four carriers involved have enhanced their respective flight schedules to ensure a greater number of convenient connecting flights to various destinations throughout the alliance's network.
Additionally, to ensure better use of available equipment during high and low seasons as well as during AOG events, the alliance's members have also pledged to cooperate in providing a pool of charter capacity that can be made available as and when needed to fellow members.
