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Etihad and Virgin Blue forge partnership

Originally published on www.businesstraveller.asia 26/08/2010 - Filed under: News »

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Etihad and Virgin Blue are teaming up commercially, creating a joint network of more than 100 destinations from October 1, 2010 and enabling V Australia, Virgin Blue's long-haul arm, to mount direct services to Abu Dhabi from next year.
 
Etihad and V Australia will move to eventually offering a total of 27 weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Australia, including double-daily services between Abu Dhabi and Sydney, daily Melbourne-Abu Dhabi flights and six-times-weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Brisbane.
 
V Australia aims to offer three Sydney-Abu Dhabi services per week from February 2011 and three Brisbane-Abu Dhabi services per week by February 2012, using its new three-class Boeing B777-300ER.
 
Qantas is the other Australian carrier flying to Abu Dhabi from Sydney and Melbourne.
 
From October, Virgin Blue Group customers can access Etihad’s network of 65 destinations in North America, Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the India subcontinent. Likewise, Etihad clients will have access to Virgin Blue services to 45 destinations in Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, Asia, South Africa and Los Angeles.

The agreement also makes provision for Etihad Guest and Velocity programme members to earn status/tier points and frequent flyer points along with reciprocal service benefits and lounge access for top-tier members. This comes into effect from October 1.

For more details, visit www.etihadairways.com and www.virginblue.com.au

Margie T Logarta

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COMMENTS » 

MarcusUK - 27/08/2010 13:36

I presume with the Virgin group now global, that Etihad's agreement is with the whole Virgin group in terms of FF program?

So VS premium card holders will benefit as Velocity members, with the Etihad reciprocal perks?

BT can you clarify? Thanks

AlexUpgrade77 - 27/08/2010 16:05

But Qantas already codeshares with Eithad to Abu Dhabi. So will the Etihad services carry both a QF and VA flight number?

Very strange. How did Qantas agree to this??

rodders - 27/08/2010 19:39

How will this work, as Qantas codeshares already with Etihad on routes to the Middle East??

Walshie - 28/08/2010 11:25

QF terminated the agreement with Etihad on same day.

Hippocampus - 28/08/2010 17:00

The relationship between Qantas and Etihad has been terminated.

I believe the agreement is only between Virgin Blue and Etihad, not all Virgin airlines.

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