Etihad Airways acquires stake in Darwin Airline, to rebrand as Etihad Regional
Etihad Airways acquired (17-Nov-2013) a 33.3% stake in Darwin Airline, subject to regulatory approval. Following completion of the investment, Darwin Airline will rebrand as Etihad Regional and align its network to connect passengers from secondary European markets to the main networks of Etihad Airways and its equity alliance partners. Darwin Airline will commence 21 new routes and add 18 new destinations by mid 2014, including Amsterdam, Belgrade, Düsseldorf, Geneva, Paris and Zurich. Etihad Airways plans to commence daily Abu Dhabi-Zurich service with three-class A330-300 equipment, effective 01-Jun-2014 - see Route Changes Table for more information. airberlin will codeshare on the route. Zurich will serve as one of Darwin Airline's main operating hubs and it will provide connections to Geneva, Leipzig, Florence, Graz, Linz, Lyon, Turin and Verona. Etihad Airways president and CEO James Hogan said, "This is a step-change for Etihad Airways. With our new partner Darwin Airline, we are creating a unique approach to network development for global airlines. European travellers will now be able to connect from a far, far wider range of European towns and cities on Etihad-branded aircraft, through Abu Dhabi to our destinations worldwide. We are also linking the new Etihad Regional network into the key hubs of our equity alliance partners, bringing benefits to the customers of airberlin and Air Serbia. This is not just a great new offer for European travellers. It is also great news for Darwin Airline, which will see increased investment, greater sales and marketing opportunities, and the chance to benefit from Etihad Airways' global network." Darwin Airline CEO Maurizio Merlo said, "We have built a solid position in regional markets across Europe and through this partnership we can add another major dimension, enabling our customers to access the global network of destinations offered by Etihad Airways, while providing fresh options for overseas visitors to travel through Europe on our flights." [more - original PR - Etihad Airways] [more - original PR - Etihad Airways 2] [more - original PR - Darwin Airline] [more - original PR - Darwin Airline 2] [more - original PR - Cambridge Airport] [more - original PR - French]