Etihad and South African Airways Commence Codeshare

Etihad Airways has commenced codeshare services with South African Airways (SAA) following regulatory approval which enables both carriers to offer codeshare and interline services to key destinations on each others’ route networks.

Effective immediately, and under the first phase of the codeshare agreement, Etihad Airways passengers can now travel on Etihad Airways’ marketed flights from Johannesburg to four major destinations on the SAA network including: Cape Town, Durban, East London and Port Elizabeth. Codesharing on scheduled services to other key destinations, including Livingston, Lusaka, Ndola, Harare, and Victoria Falls is currently pending subject to local government approval.

In return, passengers travelling from Africa can now access SAA-marketed flights on Etihad Airways scheduled service from Johannesburg to its hub in Abu Dhabi, and onwards across the airline’s fast growing global network to Bahrain, Kuwait, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur. Other major destinations currently pending regulatory approval include Shanghai, Singapore and Jeddah.

Manoj Papa, SAA’s acting General Manager - Commercial, said, “We are confident that the new codeshare partnership will prove extremely popular with business and leisure travellers who can now take advantage of the greater choice and seamless connectivity across our combined networks and markets.”

Phase two of a wide ranging Memorandum of Understanding signed in May 2013 makes provision for the two airlines to explore areas of further commercial cooperation that provide costs saving and operational efficiencies, which can be achieved through synergies and collaboration across a number of areas including reciprocal Frequent Flyer Programme participation, ground handling, procurement and training.