New Delhi, Jun 2 (PTI) Air India and Air Mauritius on Monday announced expanding their codeshare partnership that will provide enhanced connectivity for India with South Africa, Reunion and Madagascar through Mauritius.

As part of the strengthened bilateral codeshare agreement, Air India and Air Mauritius will place their designator codes on a total of 17 routes between India, Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa and Madagascar, according to a release.

Generally, a codeshare partnership allows an airline to book its passengers on its partner carrier on a single ticket.

"Air India will place its 'AI' designator code on Air Mauritius flights to and from Cape Town and Johannesburg in South Africa, and Antananarivo in Madagascar," it said.

The airline already codeshares on Air Mauritius flights between Mauritius and Mumbai, Delhi and Reunion.

The expanded codeshare partnership pact was signed by Air India CEO and MD Campbell Wilson and Air Mauritius Chairman Kishore Beegoo on the sidelines of the annual general meeting of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in the national capital. PTI RAM HVA

Codeshare partnership expanded to enhance international connectivity and enable reciprocal marketing of partner flights across regional routes. Expansion of a codeshare partnership establishes reciprocal placement of designator codes so each carrier may market and sell seats on its partner's services under its own code, enabling single-ticket itineraries. The arrangement covers routes linking India with Mauritius, Reunion, South Africa and Madagascar, with Air India applying its 'AI' designator to partner flights to Cape Town, Johannesburg and Antananarivo alongside existing codeshares between Mauritius and Indian gateways.