Aer Lingus, United to Partner on Madrid-Washington Route

Codeshare partners Aer Lingus and United Airlines intend to launch service between Washington Dulles and Madrid in March 2010. Flights will go on sale this April.

United CEO Glenn Tilton said the new service takes advantage of new opportunities under the U.S-European Union open-skies agreement.

United said Aer Lingus would fly the planes on the Washington-Madrid route, and that United would be responsible for “managing revenue generation.” Airline seats will be sold under both Aer Lingus and United codes.

The two airlines may partner to launch other routes for the summer of 2011, United said.

Aer Lingus and United Airlines launched codeshare service between Ireland and the U.S. in October 2008. United said the partnership is “proving to be successful based on initial traffic performance.”