Germany's flag carrier and the second-largest airline in Europe, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, has expedited its efforts to create a so-called 'code-share' agreement with JetBlue Airways Corporation and has applied for regulatory approval with the US Department of Transportation, in a bid to strengthen its position at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

A release from JetBlue states, "We're looking to capitalize on our position at JFK, where we're the largest domestic airline."

'Code-shares', which appeared first in 1980s, is a common term used to identify a flight at different airports, in a bid to help passengers going for transcontinental journey.

Lufthansa's tie-up with the carrier will turn JetBlue as one of the biggest operators at JFK. The arrangement will boost passenger's confidence in JetBlue and inspire more number of customers to use its services.

It should be recalled that Lufthansa had acquired a 19 per cent stake in JetBlue in the financial year 2008, paying a sum of $300m. Lufthansa already has an alliance with United Airlines, having a global network and powerful bases in Chicago, Washington, Los Angeles, Denver and San Francisco.