Etihad Airways and RAK Airways have signed an agreement to codeshare on five flight sectors including, for the first time, domestic flights in the UAE.
The agreement, the first ever between two UAE carriers, will see Etihad Airways place its 'EY' code on the RAK Airways flight between Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi.
In return, RAK Airways will place its 'RT' code on Etihad Airways routes, which initially includes flights between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow, Manchester, Dublin, Bangkok and Geneva.
RAK Airways operation between Ras Al Khaimah and Abu Dhabi will commence on 3 October.
Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways' Chief Commercial Officer, said: "We are proud to welcome RAK Airways, a fellow UAE airline, as a codeshare partner. This is the first time Etihad Airways will have its 'EY' code on a domestic UAE flight which is an exciting milestone for us.
"We look forward to welcoming air travellers through Abu Dhabi and onto international flights across the Etihad Airways network."
John Brayford, RAK Airways' Chief Executive Officer, said: "We are delighted to announce our code share agreement with Etihad Airways, which has followed many months of consultation and collaboration between our two companies.
"For an airline of the quality and prestige of Etihad Airways to choose RAK Airways as a code share partner shows how far RAK Airways has advanced since its re-launch in 2010 and is testament to the hard work of all our staff and the loyalty of our customers.
"At RAK Airways, we believe in putting the customer at the centre of everything we do and, with this exciting partnership, we are able to offer residents of Ras Al Khaimah and the Northern Emirates a much wider choice of destinations and also, for the first time, a direct link to the capital city Abu Dhabi."
In addition to the codeshare with RAK Airways, Etihad Airways has 37 other codeshare agreements in place with airlines across the world. Codeshare partnerships, along with equity acquisitions and organic growth, form the three pillars of Etihad Airways expansion plans.
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About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, began operations in 2003, and in 2011 carried 8.3 million passengers. From its hub at Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad Airways serves 86 passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and North America, with a fleet of 67 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and 100 aircraft on order, including 10 Airbus A380s, the world's largest passenger aircraft. Etihad Airways also holds equity investments in airberlin, Air Seychelles, Virgin Australia and Aer Lingus. For more information, please visit: www.etihad.com.
For more information contact:
Tom Clarke
Etihad Airways Corporate Communications
Mob: +971 50 812 5796
Dir: +971 (0) 2 511 1036
Email: tclarke@etihad.ae
About RAK Airways
RAK Airways, one of the youngest national carriers of the United Arab Emirates, is stepping up operations with an ambitious growth plan. Since its relaunch in 2010, RAK Airways has worked on building its passenger numbers filling 250,000 seats in 2011, while gradually expanding its destination network to Africa, Middle East and Asia. For more information, please visit: www.rakairways.com
For more information contact:
Elizabeth Percy
RAK Airways Corporate Communications
Mob: +971506471983
Dir: +97172075131
Email: elizabeth.percy@rakairways.com
© Press Release 2012
