Dubai: Etihad Airways signed on Wednesday a deal with Bahrain-based Gulf Air to explore stronger cooperation — including codeshare deals between Abu Dhabi and Manama.
The memorandum of understanding, which was signed at the Bahrain International Airshow, covers scope to introduce codeshares between the two Gulf cities as well as on global flight networks.
It also contains plans for stronger commercial cooperation in cargo, engineering, guest experience, and pilot training facilities.
In a statement, Etihad said both airlines will look at how their passengers can benefit from each other’s frequent flyer programmes through reciprocal opportunities.
Teams in engineering and cargo divisions of Etihad and Gulf Air will begin talks about how to increase volumes of freighter traffic into and out of Abu Dhabi and Bahrain.
The agreement signed with Gulf Air follows a similar one Etihad signed with Saudi Arabian Airlines (Saudia) in late October on codeshare partnerships and stronger commercial cooperation in fields that include cargo, engineering, and maintenance.
Etihad also signed in January a memorandum of understanding with Emirates Group Security to cooperate in aviation security.
