Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to expand the scope of their codeshare agreements to offer additional travel options to passengers visiting the UAE. This first-of-its-kind agreement between two UAE-based companies aims to take advantage of opportunities to support the flow of tourism to the UAE by enabling visitors to travel to multiple destinations on a single itinerary.
In this summer season, passengers of both airlines will be able to travel to Dubai or Abu Dhabi with a hassle-free return from the other airport by purchasing a single ticket. The new deal also gives travelers planning to explore the UAE the flexibility to purchase one ticket for their entire trip and easy baggage drop off.
In the early stages of the expanded codeshare agreement, both airlines will focus on attracting visitors to the UAE by improving codeshare traffic from selected destinations in Europe and China. The “open jaw” option allows visitors to travel as far as possible when exploring Abu Dhabi, Dubai or any other emirate, and saves time by eliminating the need to travel to their country via the airport they landed on. Passengers traveling to the UAE will also have the option of “multi-city flights”, allowing them to easily return to another Emirates or Etihad destination, traveling from a city in both airlines' networks.
The Memorandum of Understanding was signed at the Arabian Travel Market by Adnan Kazım, Emirates Commercial Affairs Director, and Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways Director of Operations, with the participation of Emirates Airline President Sir Tim Clark, Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves and other senior executives.
Sir Tim Clark, President of Emirates Airline, said in a statement: “We are delighted to have the opportunity to work with Etihad Airways again. This time we will enable our companies to offer a range of new travel options within and outside the UAE. Emirates and Etihad will leverage our strengths to expand our respective passenger services and products and support tourism in the UAE. We believe this new agreement will lay a strong foundation for developing more opportunities between both airlines and exemplify our commitment to the UAE's vision of continued economic diversification.”
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, said: “We are pleased to partner with Emirates in line with our shared mission to support tourism to the UAE and facilitate travel to our stunning cities. This codeshare agreement signed by two world-class airlines supporting tourism in the UAE makes it easier for our passengers to explore the best of Abu Dhabi and Dubai on a single ticket, while committing to an exceptional flying experience on flights with Etihad Airways or Emirates. Thus, we provide an opportunity for passengers traveling to the UAE, based on the principle of win-win.”
Under the expanded codeshare agreement, both airlines aim to support the UAE government's goal of promoting UAE tourism and consolidating the UAE's position as a preferred global destination. The tourism sector, one of the main pillars of the UAE economy, is expected to contribute 5,4 percent of the country's total GDP (31,6 billion USD) and support more than 2027 million jobs by 1.
Airline companies are collaborating for the second time with this announcement. In 2018, Emirates Group Security and Etihad Aviation Group (EAG) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen aviation security, including information and intelligence sharing in areas of operation inside and outside the UAE. Last year, Emirates signed an agreement with the Abu Dhabi Ministry of Culture and Tourism to increase the number of tourists visiting the UAE capital, one of the key source markets in the airline's global network.