ABU Dhabi-based Etihad is ramping up its presence in Australasia with a new codeshare with Air New Zealand and the appointment of a senior executive to manage its relationship with Virgin Blue.
The codeshare services will go on sale later this month for travel from the end of March and will enable Air NZ and Etihad customers to earn and burn frequent flyer points on each other's flights.
It will see Etihad's EY code placed on a number of the Kiwi carrier's trans-Tasman flights from Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne as well as between Beijing and Auckland.
Air NZ's code will go on Etihad's three flights a day to London Heathrow as well as on flights between Abu Dhabi and Australia.
Etihad chief executive James Hogan said the move would complement his airline's deal with Virgin and the three airlines would look at synchronising services where possible.
"Again this is good for the customer," he said, noting it provided outbound options for Australasian travellers as well as inbound options that would benefit Australia in the long term.
End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar. Etihad is also transferring New York-based regional manager Robin Middleton to take up the newly created Brisbane-based position of alliances manager.
Mr Hogan said the management move was aimed at maximising the airline's relationship with Virgin Blue.
He said Mr Middleton would look at working with corporate accounts and working on areas of co-operation such as reservations and frequent flyer schemes.
"He's our implant at Virgin to ensure that primarily from a commercial perspective, we're meeting our objectives and selling our flights," he said.
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