ETIHAD Airways and American Airlines have announced details of a proposed new codeshare agreement which, if it receives regulatory approval from the US government, will pave the way for closer commercial cooperation between the two airlines.
The codeshare agreement will extend further the two airlines’ global networks by providing easy access between Abu Dhabi and key cities in the United States including Washington, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Houston which have previously been unavailable to Etihad customers.
Etihad Airways will place its EY 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 Airways between Abu Dhabi and New York (JFK), Chicago (ORD), Paris (CDG), Dublin, Frankfurt, Manchester and Milan (MXP).
Subject to gaining US government regulatory approval, the new codeshare agreement is expected to come into effect to coincide with the launch by Etihad of its new service to Chicago early next month.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive said, "The United States represents a key market for Etihad and one in which we are keen to grow further, both through the addition of new routes of our own, such as Chicago, and through close cooperation with other well-established airlines such as American Airlines."