Etihad Airways, the national
airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced a codeshare agreement with Kulula, an award-winning, low-cost carrier in South Africa.
The partnership is
part of Etihad’s efforts to build its presence in Africa.
“Kulula is an innovative and award-winning airline, and this new codeshare
agreement demonstrates Etihad Airways’ growing ambitions to strengthen our
operations across Africa,” Peter Baumgartner, CEO of Etihad Airways, said. “Through the agreement, Kulula will give inbound passengers
direct access from Johannesburg to four key destinations along South Africa’s
renowned coastline, and I am certain the extended reach offered through this
partnership will appeal to business and leisure travelers alike.”
Through the codeshare,
Etihad Airways customers can now search flight options to South African cities
such as Cape Town, Durban, George and East London. Flights will run through
Johannesburg.
“We are delighted to be
adding Etihad Airways to our growing list of strategic airline partnerships and
are excited about exploring additional opportunities to expand on the
relationship,” Erik Venter, CEO of Kulula’s parent
company, Comair, said. “We look forward to welcoming Etihad Airways’ customers on
board our flights.”
Etihad Airways serves 10 destinations in Africa at the moment: namely Johannesburg, Nairobi, Entebbe,
Dar es Salaam, Khartoum, Casablanca, Rabat, Lagos, Cairo and Mahé in the
Seychelles.
