Etihad Airways extends reach with TAP codeshares to Portugal

United Arab Emirates national carrier Eithad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with TAP Portugal, expanding its global reach a little bit further. Etihad will gain a virtual network in Portugal - where competitors Emirates and Qatar Airways do not have flights to - by codesharing on TAP flights from common European points they both serve to Portugal, which Etihad does not fly directly to. TAP will codeshare on Etihad flights from their common European ports to Abu Dhabi. The agreement will largely force Emirates and Qatar, if they want a presence in the small Portuguese market, to either establish direct routes or partners with less geographically and schedule convenient carriers.

Etihad will place its code on TAP-operated flights from Lisbon to Brussels, Düsseldorf, Faro, Frankfurt, Funchal, Geneva, London, Milan and Porto, in addition to flights from Porto to Brussels and Geneva. In return, TAP will place its code on Etihad Airways flights to and from Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Geneva, London, and Milan, with the two carriers effectively establishing mini transfer hubs at those airports.