Etihad Airways will gain better access to Kabul following the signing of a code share agreement with Safi Airways, the leading international airline of Afghanistan.
Under the deal, effective since Tuesday 15 May, Etihad Airways has placed its two-letter ‘EY’ code on the four weekly services which Safi Airways has operated between Abu Dhabi and the Afghan capital, Kabul, since February 2012.
The new agreement will also give air travellers in Afghanistan greater and easier access to the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s network of 86 destinations.
“Etihad continues to expand its code share partnership across the world in line with its strategic network development plans. We were looking to improve point to point service to Kabul through a code share alliance with a carrier whose commitment to service and product is building rapidly,” Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, Peter Baumgartner, said.
“These codeshare agreements will also provide customers of both our airlines with greater access to Etihad Airways’ expanding global network.”
“The code share with Etihad Airways is part of our long term strategic plan to consolidate our presence within the GCC and our ultimate goal to maximise connections to and from Afghanistan,” Lloyd Carswell, Chief Commercial Officer Safi Airways, said.
“The Etihad Airways network will allow us both to create a strategic and tangible step forward in the relentless pursuit of reconnecting Afghanistan to the rest of the world.”
Etihad Airways has 34 other code share agreements in place. The new code share services commence between the two capitals from 18 May, 2012.