Etihad Airways has signed a codeshare agreement with Shanghai-based China Eastern Airlines. The new codeshare services between Abu Dhabi and China go on sale on 30th August 2012 for travel from 3rd September.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, expressed appreciation to the government regulators for approving the new agreement. “The codeshare with China Eastern Airlines expands our networks in a commercially viable and mutually beneficial way, and offers our customers more choice of destinations, schedules and loyalty benefits,” he said.
Initially, China Eastern Airlines will place its ‘MU’ code on Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and Shanghai. The airlines have plans to expand the partnership in subsequent phases of co-operation. For example, China Eastern will place its ‘MU’ code on Etihad Airways flights to destinations not on the Chinese carrier’s network while Etihad Airways plans to codeshare on China Eastern’s domestic services beyond its Shanghai hub.
The two airlines also plan to offer reciprocal benefits such as mileage earn and burn to members of their frequent flyer programmes, Etihad Guest and Eastern Miles, in the fourth quarter of 2012.
