Etihad Airways and China Eastern Airlines have signed a Joint Venture (JV) to cement the strategic partnership between the two airlines, making it the first commercial JV between a Middle Eastern airline and a Chinese airline.
The JV will allow both airlines to jointly develop and grow the routes between the UAE and China, offering expanded travel options and seamless travel experiences for passengers travelling between major Chinese cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Xi’an, and Kunming, and key cities in the UAE and across the Middle East and Africa regions.
Etihad and China Eastern Airlines will implement the JV cooperation in early 2025 when both teams secure all necessary regulatory clearances. Additionally, both airlines will introduce full reciprocity to their existing frequent flyer programmes in 4Q2024, allowing passengers to seamlessly earn points and redeem rewards when flying with either airline.
Etihad Aviation Group chairman Mohamed Ali Al Shorafa stated: “This partnership is more than the expansion of routes; it is about creating lasting and meaningful connections between our two nations which will stand for decades to come.”
“This year marks the 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and the UAE. Both countries continue to develop and strengthen the high-value, strategic collaboration on the Belt and Road Initiative, and this momentum creates opportunities and motivation for deepening cooperation between China Eastern Airlines and Etihad Airways,” said Wang Zhiqing, chairman of China Eastern Airlines.
“Both China Eastern Airlines and Etihad Airways have strong global hubs,and our cooperation is highly complementary, covers a broad scope, and has great potential. We look forward to our collaboration creating more synergies, not only in facilitating passenger travel but also in building deeper economic, trade, and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE.”
Source: ttgasia