Midwest, Northwest to begin code-sharing

Midwest Airlines and its new “passive” minority investor, Northwest Airlines (which will hold a 47 percent stake in Midwest once the deal is finalized, according to an SEC filing last week), have entered into a formal code-sharing agreement that bolsters a memorandum of understanding they had signed earlier. The two airlines already have frequent flyer program reciprocity. With code-sharing, passengers on affected routes will be able to get a single ticket for interline connecting flights. The pact will take effect for travel beginning November 17; the initial code-sharing will be on itineraries linking Midwest flights from Milwaukee, Kansas City and Omaha to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle with Northwest service from those west coast points to Hawaii. “This is just the first step in expanding the networks of both carriers by opening up 250 city pairs and more than 1,000 new flight options for customers,” said a Northwest spokesman.