Etihad in strategic partnership with Kenya Airways

Etihad Airways is to expand significantly its reach across Africa after signing a strategic commercial partnership agreement with Kenya Airways, the national flag carrier of Kenya.

The national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will place its EY code on flights from Nairobi to 27 destinations across Kenya Airways’ network in Africa.

As part of the codeshare agreement, Kenya Airways will place its KQ code on Etihad’s daily service from Nairobi to Abu Dhabi and onwards to up to 32 key destinations across Etihad’s global network.

Kenya Airways will also launch a new three times a week service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi from mid-summer 2013.

The agreement paves the way for greater collaboration between the airlines on the joint procurement of services for ground handling, line and heavy maintenance, training and cargo operations.

“Last year we launched new services to Tripoli, Nairobi and Lagos, and over the last five years we have more than doubled our services to Africa. During the same period we have flown nearly 3 mln passengers between Africa and the UAE, and key destinations across our network,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and CEO.

Kenya Airlines joins a growing list of airlines to have launched new services to Abu Dhabi International Airport as a direct result of Etihad’s partnership strategy, including airberlin, Air Seychelles, Alitalia, CSA Czech Airlines, Garuda, Hainan Airlines, RAK Airways and Virgin Australia.

The codeshare agreement with Kenyan Airways brings to 42 the number of Etihad codeshare partners, creating a combined passenger network of 349 destinations, more than any other Middle East airline.

Etihad Airways operates a two-cabin Airbus A320 aircraft between Larnaca and Abu Dhabi every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. It departs from Abu Dhabi at 09:34 and arrives in Larnaca at 11:45. The return flight, EY094, departs from Larnaca at 14:15 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 19:25, local time.

For information visit: www.etihad.com