Etihad Airways and South African Airways announce strategic partnership
Etihad Airways and South African Airways announced (06-May-2013) they signed a MoU allowing the two airlines to introduce a comprehensive range of codeshare and interline air services as well as explore synergy and efficiency opportunities.
- Initial codeshare agreement:
- Etihad Airways will place its 'EY' code on flights from Johannesburg to 10 South African Airways destinations across South Africa and the African continent as well as South America. Destinations include Johannesburg to Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth, as well as to Livingston, Lusaka, Ndola, Harare, and Victoria Falls. Outside the African continent Etihad Airways will place its code on South African Airways' flights to Sao Paulo;
- South African Airways will place its 'SA' code on 12 of Etihad Airways' routes flying from Abu Dhabi. The first phase of the agreement will see the code placed on the Etihad Airways flights between Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi, as well as on flights to 12 cities on Etihad Airways' worldwide network that includes destinations in Asia, Europe and the Middle East.
- Other collaboration: The agreement also makes provision for passengers to earn and redeem miles through the airlines' frequent flyer programmes;
- Other partners: The tie-up coincides with the signing of codeshare agreements between Etihad Airways' equity alliance partners, Air Seychelles and Jet Airways (subject to regulatory approval), and South African Airways;
- Secondary phases: Additional phases of the cooperation agreement will explore code sharing to more cities, closer synergies and efficiencies in the key commercial areas of procurement, maintenance opportunities, ground handling as well as training to drive incremental revenue opportunities. [more - original PR]
Etihad Airways: "This impressive, multilayered, partnership will enable Etihad Airways and South African Airways to achieve significant goals in several different global markets as well as collaborate on a number of key commercial initiatives. This strategy, of working closely with partner airlines to serve secondary cities in a market, has been highly successful for Etihad Airways around the world and we look forward to build upon our already strong relationship with the team at South African Airways to extend our footprint in the strategically critical African market," James Hogan, president and CEO. Souce: Company Statement, 06-May-2013
SAA: "This extensive commercial agreement will enable SAA to access the vast majority of Etihad Airways global markets. We are pleased to build upon the commercial areas of the agreement which are fundamental to a modern airline partnership". Nico Bezuidenhout, acting CEO. Souce: Company Statement, 06-May-2013.