KQ and Etihad Enter into Codeshare

 Kenya Airways has announced the expansion of its global network through a new codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways. KQ will also launch a new three times a week service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi, effective June. Under the new codeshare agreement, Kenya Airways will initially place its KQ code on Etihad Airways’ existing daily service between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi, and onwards to 32 destinations on Etihad’s global network.
 In return, Etihad Airways will place its EY code on Kenya Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to Nairobi, and onwards to 27 destinations across the Kenya Airways network in Africa. The connections will provide passengers with connections over Nairobi to destinations in East, West and Southern Africa.
The agreement with Etihad Airways brings the number of strategic codeshares that Kenya Airways has signed with other international carriers to 18.
In turn, the codeshare with the national carrier of Kenya brings to 42 the number of codeshare partners for Etihad Airways, providing the airline with a combined network of more than 349 destinations, more than any other Middle East airline.
The agreement paves the way for greater collaboration between the two airlines on joint procurement of services for ground handling, line and heavy maintenance, training and cargo operations.
The airlines are working on the integration of their respective frequent flyer programmes, Etihad Guest and Kenya Airway’s Flying Blue, to provide travellers with enhanced premium service benefits, enabling them to earn and redeem miles on each other’s flights. The new codeshare services between Etihad Airways and Kenya Airways go on sale on 15 March, for travel from 1 April onwards.