airberlin and Etihad Airways announce expansion of partnership and unveil joint livery aircraft

Abu Dhabi: airberlin and Etihad Airways yesterday unveiled an Airbus A320 aircraft in specially designed joint livery, symbolising the close ties between the two airlines and marking the launch of a new Moving Forward media campaign. At the event in Berlin, Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, airberlin's Chief Executive Officer, and James Hogan, Etihad Airways' President and Chief Executive Officer and Vice-Chairman of airberlin, gave details of how air travellers will continue to benefit from the special partnership and the progress made in the first two years. Wolfgang Prock-Schauer, said: "The comprehensive commercial partnership with Etihad Airways has brought many benefits to airberlin, including our shares of joint revenues of EUR 200 million, which is an integral part of our turnaround program. Following the implementation of joint codesharing across the networks both airlines will strengthen the commercial partnership in 2014. That will include the expansion of joint sales operations, building on the current services provided by 17 joint sales offices located around the world, and representation in more than 50 international markets. airberlin's expertise in the tourism sector, an important pillar of its business, will also continue to be central to marketing the combined network. The developments in the commercial partnership are set to further increase the number of passengers who fly on the airberlin and Etihad Airways network, which currently serves 228 destinations in 84 countries. James Hogan said: "Since the launch of the partnership two years ago, commercial ties between Etihad Airways and airberlin have deepened significantly. This has increased the destinations and flight options for guests and enabled both airlines to carry nearly 900,000 guests across the two networks. A new joint "Moving Forward" media campaign will be launched in January and run until March 2014 and will see the new partnership logo of the two airlines featured in advertising and marketing across Germany. In 2013, 563,000 common codeshare passengers flew across the two networks, a 74 per cent increase on the previous year. Currently, 66 airberlin routes carry Etihad Airways' EY code and 33 Etihad Airways' routes carry airberlin's AB flight code. - Emirates News Agency, WAM