Dubai
The UAE’s flagship airlines Emirates Airline and Etihad Airways have signed a first-of-its-kind partnership agreement that will provide travellers with more convenient itinerary options when visiting the country.
This summer, customers of each airline will be able to purchase a single ticket to fly into either Dubai or Abu Dhabi — with a seamless return via the other airport. It will allow them to enjoy the flexibility of one-stop ticketing for their full journey, plus easier baggage check-in.
Essentially, 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.
Customers travelling into the UAE 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.
In the initial stages, each carrier will focus on attracting visitors to the UAE by developing inbound interline traffic from select points in Europe and China.
The memorandum of understanding was signed at the ongoing Arabian Travel Market by Adnan Kazim, chief commercial officer of Emirates, and Mohammad Al Bulooki, chief operating officer of Etihad Airways, in the presence of Sir Tim Clark, president of Emirates Airline, and Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad, along with other senior representatives.
