Emirates and Etihad Airways have announced an interline agreement, which is aimed at increasing tourism in the nation.
The UAE airlines signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that expands their interline agreement. This landmark agreement will provide travellers with additional itinerary options, thereby increasing tourism in the region.
The agreement between the two airlines, visitors can now experience more than one destination in the UAE with a single itinerary.
“We are pleased to be working again with Etihad Airways – this time to allow each carrier to offer a new range of seamless travel options in and out of the UAE. Emirates and Etihad are leveraging on our strengths to expand our respective customer offerings and boost UAE tourism. We believe this new agreement provides a strong foundation to develop further opportunities between both airlines and is an example of our commitment to the UAE’s vision for continued economic diversification,” Emirates Airline president Sir Tim Clark said.
New Emirates, Etihad agreement
Starting this summer, customers of each airline can purchase a single ticket to fly into either Dubai or Abu Dhabi, with a seamless return via the other airport.
This will provide travellers with greater flexibility in planning their itinerary and will make their travel experience more convenient, an Emirates statement said.
The expanded interline agreement will initially focus on attracting visitors to the UAE from select points in Europe and China.
The ‘open jaw’ arrangement will allow visitors to cover as much ground as possible when exploring Abu Dhabi, Dubai or any other emirate, saving time by removing the need to fly home via their arrival airport.
“We’re delighted to partner with Emirates in our shared mission to support inbound tourism to the UAE and facilitate travel to our vibrant cities. With two world-class airlines supporting UAE tourism, our interline agreement will make it more convenient for our guests to experience the best of Abu Dhabi and Dubai on one single ticket while promising to deliver an exceptional flying experience whether they fly with Etihad Airways or Emirates. It’s a win-win proposition for travellers to the UAE,” Etihad Airways’ chief executive officer Antonoaldo Neves added.
Customers will also have the option of ‘multi-city flights’, with the choice to travel from one city on both carriers’ networks, and conveniently returning to another point served by either Emirates or Etihad.
The signing ceremony took place at the Arabian Travel Market, with representatives from both airlines present. The MoU was signed by Adnan Kazim, Emirates’ Chief Commercial Officer, and Mohammad Al Bulooki, Chief Operating Officer, Etihad Airways, in the presence of Sir Tim Clark, President, Emirates Airline, and Antonoaldo Neves, Etihad CEO.
The recently expanded partnership between the two airlines demonstrates their shared commitment to promoting tourism in the UAE and enhancing its global reputation as a preferred destination.
Tourism is a crucial component of the UAE’s economy, expected to contribute 5.4 percent of the nation’s GDP or AED116.1 billion ($31.6 billion), and generate over one million jobs by 2027, as per the figures from the Emirates Tourism Council.
This is also not the first time that the two airlines have collaborated. They previously signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in 2018 to improve aviation security by sharing information and intelligence, and in the following year, Emirates signed another MoU with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi to increase tourist numbers from important source markets.
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