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Etihad Airways and Korean Air expand code share agreement

In the second phase of co-operation, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Korean Air services from Seoul Incheon to Honolulu, Vancouver and Hong Kong. The Korean Air will place its KE code on Etihad Airways’ flights from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg, Muscat and subject to government approval, Khartoum.

The new arrangements augment the airlines’ existing code share services between Abu Dhabi and Seoul Incheon.

Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said the expanded code share agreement would enable both airlines to grow their networks in a mutually beneficial way and broaden their appeal to the world travellers.

“The three new code share destinations enhance Etihad Airways’ business and leisure travel to the Asia Pacific region and North America. The flights to Honolulu and Vancouver, in particular, will provide convenient one-stop access from Abu Dhabi to these two popular North American destinations.

“This is a natural development of the code share agreement with Korean Air which we signed in July this year, and we look forward to broadening the scope of co-operation even further in the future.”

Mr. Hogan noted that Etihad Airways’ strategy of forming partnerships with airlines such as Korean Air was helping to grow tourism from around the world to its Abu Dhabi home and hub.

“The introduction of new code share routes enables us to rapidly expand our network and drive more leisure and business traffic to and through our Abu Dhabi hub. Last year alone, Etihad Airways carried 10.2 million passengers through Abu Dhabi.

“Increasing international visitors to Abu Dhabi is key to enabling economic growth in the Emirate and helping realise the Government’s visionary Abu Dhabi 2030 plan.

“We forecast this trend will continue with the opening of new routes from Asia and North America.”

Etihad Airways and Korean Air have had a successful commercial partnership since August 2009 when the airlines signed a special pro-rata agreement and interline partnership. The airlines commenced code share operations between Abu Dhabi and Seoul Incheon on July 22^nd, 2013.

The members of Etihad Airways’, Etihad Guest and Korean Air’s SKYPASS loyalty programmes will enjoy reciprocal benefits, which includes lounge access, priority check-in and excess baggage allowances for top tier programme members and the ability to earn and burn frequent flyer points on Etihad Airways and Korean Air flights.