Eithad Airways and Air Berlin have been dealt a blow by a German Court which today decided that some 30 code share routes were not covered by a traffic rights agreement between Germany and the UAE.

Etihad Airways owns 29.2 per cent of Air Berlin, Germany’s second largest airline after Lufthansa.

Etihad and Air Berlin

The decision does not affect another 50 code shares operated between the two airlines.

Etihad released a statement saying it was “deeply disappointed by the German court’s decision handed down today. We are reviewing the judgement and will file an appeal against the decision early next week.”

The statement went on to say

“The social and economic damage to Germany by this decision is significant.

“The withdrawal of approval for codeshare services on 29 routes materially reduces competition and consumer choice within and beyond Germany and causes inconvenience to passengers.

“Notwithstanding, we will continue to stand by our partner, airberlin, to promote competition and offer a superior product and travel experience.”

Etihad and Air Berlin

To see more about the partnership, click here.

The total number of codeshare routes (before the decision) were

OVER TO / FROM
Berlin (TXL) Alicante (ALC) Budapest (BUD) Copenhagen (CPH) Gdansk (GDN)
Goteborg (GOT) Graz (GRZ) Helsinki (HEL) Bucharest (OTP)
Madrid (MAD) Chicago-O’Hare (ORD) Nuremberg (NUE) Warsaw (WAW)
Krakow (KRK) Malaga (AGP) New York (JFK) Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
Rome (FCO) Salzburg (SZG) Stockholm-Arlanda (ARN) Stuttgart (STR)
Miami (MIA) Vienna (VIE) Zurich (ZRH)
Dusseldorf (DUS) Alicante (ALC) Barcelona (BCN) Berlin (TXL) Copenhagen (CPH)
Fort Myers (RSW) Hamburg (HAM) Los Angeles (LAX) Madrid (MAD)
Malaga (AGP) Miami (MIA) New York (JFK) Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
Rome (FCO) Salzburg (SZG) Stuttgart (STR) Venice (VCE)
Nuremberg (NUE) Vienna (VIE) Zurich (ZRH) Funchal (FNC)
Tenerife (TFS) Lanzarote (ACE)
Munich (MUC) Berlin (TXL) Alicante (ALC) Dusseldorf (DUS) Hamburg (HAM)
Malaga (AGP) Palma de Mallorca (PMI) Tenerife (TFS) Fuerteventura (FUE)
Lopez Island (LPS) Lanzarote (ACE)
Frankfurt (FRA) Berlin (TXL) Palma de Mallorca (PMI)
Abu Dhabi (AUH) Berlin (TXL) Dusseldorf (DUS) Stuttgart (STR)

It is unclear which of these will be affected, but Etihad says it “…will continue to honour all booked itineraries.”

etihad.com