Etihad and Alitalia named Expo 2015 airline carriers

Dubai: Etihad Airways and Italy’s Alitalia have been named as the Official Global Airline Carriers for Expo 2015 in Milan.

The Universal Exposition will be held from May 1 to October 31, 2015.

An estimated 20 million visitors are expected to attend Expo 2015, of which 7.6 million will travel to Milan by air, the two airlines said in a joint statement.

The new partnership comes as Etihad is expected to take a 49 per cent stake in the Italian carrier after the two signalled that principal terms had been agreed.