Etihad Airways continued its run of network expansion deals with international airlines by announcing a code-share alliance with Turkish Airlines on Sunday. The alliance will allow Etihad customers to choose from daily services between Abu Dhabi and Istanbul, instead of the four flights a week the Abu Dhabi carrier currently serves with its own aircraft between the two cities that began on June 1.
Etihad said it would place its two-letter 'EY' code on Turkish Airline's flights from Istanbul to Abu Dhabi. "This latest code-share agreement, Etihad's 16th, will also help to link Turkish expatriate communities around the world, as well as build business links between the Turkey and the UAE," said James Hogan, the chief executive of Etihad Airways. Temel Kotil, the chief executive of Turkish Airlines, said: "customers are the ultimate winners, as they benefit from the extensive networks of both airlines linking both the two hubs, Istanbul and Abu Dhabi, and beyond."
A code share is an agreement between two airlines that allows them to share resources. It lets them both put their code numbers on a single flight. Both can sell tickets for the flight, regardless of which carrier's aircraft and crew are being used. Both are also able to offer frequent-flyer miles to their customers, and the two also share the revenues. igale@thenational.ae
