WASHINGTON: In an effort to boost travel, JetBlue Airways announced it was joining forces with Emirates Airlines on a new deal that will allow the pair to sell tickets on each other's flights. The move was praised by industry experts in the United States as giving American travelers a chance to have more options and “hopefully bring down prices,” said one Delta executive, who asked not to be named. “I think, as someone inside the industry, this is a smart move because it will give Americans better and hopefully cheaper options for flying,” the official told Bikya Masr. The deal was announced Monday and allows US passengers to buy tickets through JetBlue to international destinations that Emirates serves. Emirates customers can buy tickets to U.S. cities JetBlue serves. Emirates flies two daily nonstop flights from New York to its hub in Dubai. JetBlue Airways Corp. already has similar deals with American Airlines, South African Airways and Irish carrier Aer Lingus. These partnerships allow airlines to expand their available destinations without added costs. They also feed more passengers into their respective networks. BM
