Etihad Airways and Air France-KLM unveil new strategic partnership
Etihad Airways and Air France-KLM signed (08-Oct-2012) a new strategic partnership agreement covering codeshare flights, as the first part of a "much larger strategic partnership" which commences on 28-Oct-2012. A wide-ranging codeshare agreement will see Etihad Airways and Air France-KLM offering joint codes on destinations in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia. At the same time, Air France-KLM and airberlin also announced a mutual codeshare agreement allowing customers of each of the two carriers to fly seamlessly on all the routes operated by the other between France and Germany. Etihad Airways holds a 29.21% stake in airberlin. The agreement is Etihad Airways' 40th codeshare partnership. Etihad Airways CEO James Hogan said the agreement "reflects the core elements of Etihad Airways' 10-year master plan, driven by organic network growth, combined with the forging of strategic codeshare partnerships and minority equity investments in other airlines". The new strategic partners will work also together on the proposed integration of frequent flyer programs which includes reciprocal 'earn-and-burn' privileges for frequent flyers across the combined networks. Other potential areas of co-operation include joint procurement, as well as maintenance and repair collaboration, as both carriers identify cost savings and seek to benefit from economies of scale, as Etihad Airways is doing with its other strategic partners. Codeshare details are as follows:
- Etihad Airways to place its code on Air France services between Paris CDG and Bordeaux, Copenhagen, Madrid, Nice and Toulouse, as well as on KLM flights between Amsterdam and Abu Dhabi, Billund, Cardiff, Newcastle, Oslo and Stavanger;
- Air France will initially place its code on Etihad Airways services between Abu Dhabi and the Seychelles, the Maldives, Colombo, Dhaka, Kathmandu and Islamabad;
- KLM will initially place its code on Etihad Airways services between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, Melbourne, Islamabad, Colombo and Lahore. [more - original PR - Etihad Airways] [more - original PR - Air France KLM] [more - CAPA Analysis]