Etihad Inks Five New Interline Agreements, Expands A380 Network

Etihad Airways has expanded its partnerships with the addition of five new airlines to a growing list of interline partnerships. The U.A.E. carrier announced on Friday that partnerships had been agreed with Kam Air, SKY Express, Rex Airlines, Jeju Air, and Myanmar Airways International.

Kam Air operates from Etihad’s base at Zayed International Airport (AUH) in Abu Dhabi to Kabul, Afghanistan. The interline agreement will give Etihad passengers the opportunity to transit through AUH to Kam Air’s service to Kabul and then connect with the airline’s operations within Afghanistan.

SKY Express operates to 28 destinations on the Greek mainland and Mediterranean islands giving Etihad passengers connectivity through the airline’s twice-daily service to Athens’ Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH). Similarly, the interline agreement with Australia’s Rex Airlines opens up the continent via Etihad’s gateway destinations, Sydney and Melbourne. Rex flies to 22 Aussie airports including Adelaide, Brisbane, the Gold Coast and Australia’s capital, Canberra.

South Korean carrier Jeju Air self-identifies as ‘Korea’s number one low-cost carrier’ connecting from Seoul’s Incheon International Airport (ICN) to 27 destinations across seven countries in Northeast Asia. High-profile destinations serviced on the airline’s Boeing 737 MAX and 737-800 aircraft from ICN include Busan, Tokyo’s Narita airport, Fukuoka, Japan, and Bangkok, Thailand.

The interline agreement with Myanmar Airways International will give further access to Etihad passengers to Yangon and Mandalay. Myanmar Airways has a significant range of codeshare and interline partnerships including Etihad competitors Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Oman Air.

Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, said: “We continue to broaden our network reach enabling seamless connection across our network, giving our guests a broader range of travel options. These five interline agreements make life easier for guests of all the airlines involved.”

New A380 Service

News of the five interline agreements comes amid several expansion announcements and inaugural flights by Etihad in recent weeks. Included in the recent developments was the introduction to New York’s JFK airport of the airline’s A380. This follows the Airbus aircraft’s utilization on the London Heathrow route, as the second destination for the premium-heavy configured layout with the luxurious ‘Residence’ three-room suite.

Etihad’s chief executive officer Antonoaldo Neves stated: “Introducing the A380 to the popular New York route aligns with our strategy to meet increasing customer demand and expand our network. It comes just three weeks after we launched our new route to Boston, our fourth US gateway, underlining our commitment to serving and growing the North American market.”

The carrier also announced in April that the A380 would be deployed on the AUH to Paris Charles De Gaulle (CDG) route from Nov. 1, 2024.

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John Flett

John has always had a passion for aviation and through a career with Air New Zealand has gained a strong understanding of aviation operations and the strategic nature of the industry.

During his career with the airline, John held multiple leadership roles and was involved in projects such as the introduction of both the 777-200 and -300 type aircraft and the development of the IFE for the 777-300. He was also part of a small team that created and published the internal communications magazines for Air New Zealand’s pilots, cabin crew and ground staff, balancing a mix of corporate and social content.

John is educated to postgraduate level achieving a Masters degree with Distinction in Airline and Airport Management. He has been the course director of an undergraduate commercial pilot training programme at a leading London university and a member of Heathrow Community Trust’s ‘Communities for Tomorrow’ panel.

John is currently living in Canada and is contracted as an external instructor for aviation-related organizations.

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