19 August 2009

Airlines seal transatlantic code share

A code share agreement between Etihad Airways and American Airlines has won regulatory approval.

The agreement comes into effect this week and comes in advance of the start of Etihad flights to Chicago on September 2 - the UAE carrier’s third destination in North America after New York and Toronto.

The code share extends further the two airlines’ global networks by providing access between Abu Dhabi and key US cities including Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.

Etihad will place its ‘EY’ flight code on a number of transatlantic services operated by the US carrier between Europe and the US, as well as selected domestic services operated by American Airlines beyond New York and Chicago.

In turn American Airlines will place its own ‘AA’ code on services operated by Etihad between Abu Dhabi and New York, Chicago, Paris, Dublin, Frankfurt, Manchester and Milan.

American Airlines’ domestic routes covered by the deal will initially include flights between New York and Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco as well as services between Chicago and Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston.

The transatlantic services include American Airlines flights between: Paris and Boston, Chicago, Miami; Dublin and Chicago; Frankfurt and Dallas/Fort Worth; Manchester and Chicago; and Milan and New York.

by Phil Davies