Ethihad-Malaysian Airlines sign Codeshare Agreement

Etihad Airways is to offer its passengers more access to destinations in Asia, following the signing of a codeshare agreement with Malaysia Airlines. The agreement will apply to Malaysia Airlines' flights between Kuala Lumpur, and the popular islands of Kota Kinabalu, Penang, Kuching and Langkawi. In turn, Malaysia Airlines will get access to Etihad flights between its home base of Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, Doha and Muscat.

It brings to ten the number of codeshare agreements now operated by Etihad Airways. The codeshare flights pave the way for closer co-operation on a range of other joint initiatives, including collaboration on frequent flyer programmes, ground handling, customer support, cargo and airport lounge access.
Asia is an important market for Etihad and there is huge demand amongst customers to travel beyond the Malaysian capital, which this new codeshare agreement now allows. Idris Jala, Malaysia Airlines' managing director and chief executive, said: 'This codeshare arrangement with Etihad is timely as Malaysia is a favourite destination for visitors from the Middle East as well an ideal transit country when they travel to our destinations from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), the Orient, Australia and New Zealand.

"With a steady increase in tourist arrivals over the years from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, we hope to tap into this partnership to further increase the passenger numbers from that region, not only to Malaysia but to our destinations beyond."

Since launching services to the Malaysian capital in January 2007, Kuala Lumpur has become as one of Etihad's most popular business and leisure travel destinations. It operates six weekly Boeing B777 flights to KL, which is one of seven destinations served by Etihad in the Asia-Pacific in addition to Bangkok, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Brisbane and Sydney.