Air France/KLM and Etihad Airways have simply signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen their pre-existing partnership.
Passengers can anticipate extra decisions by expanded codeshare and interline agreements, in addition to enhanced collaboration between the airways’ operations, loyalty applications, and extra.
Air France/KLM and Etihad Airways Develop Partnership
The partnership between Air France/KLM and Etihad Airways has existed since 2012, however this new settlement will additional bolster that relationship, and has the potential to supply extra worth for each the airways and passengers.
The expanded settlement will see over 40 routes added by the codeshare and interline agreements, together with locations throughout Europe, the Center East, Asia, and Australia.
Etihad Airways will profit from larger connectivity to Air France/KLM’s intensive community of European locations, equivalent to Helsinki and Warsaw.
In the meantime, Air France/KLM will be capable to develop their attain in South East Asia and Oceania with Etihad Airways’s community to cities equivalent to Sydney, Melbourne, Ho Chi Minh Metropolis, and Guangzhou — locations to which Air France/KLM at the moment doesn’t fly.
Etihad Airways at the moment operates every day flights to Paris (CDG) and Amsterdam (AMS), and Air France will launch a brand new route from Paris (CDG) to Abu Dhabi (AUH) on October 29, 2023.
Passengers originating in Europe on an Air France or KLM flight will quickly be capable to hook up with many Asian and Australian locations on a single reserving with entry to Etihad Airways’s community.
Likewise, passengers originating in Abu Dhabi with Etihad Airways will take pleasure in simple connectivity to smaller European markets through flights with Air France and KLM.
Bookings can be found as of September 7, 2023, for journey as early as Winter 2023.
Coming Quickly: Reciprocal Incomes, Redemptions, and Advantages
The shopper floor expertise may additionally be enhanced with this enhanced settlement, because the airways are exploring terminal co-location for simpler connections, reciprocal lounge entry agreements, and streamlined floor dealing with providers.
Moreover, Air France/KLM Flying Blue standing holders will probably be capable to take pleasure in some perks of their standing, equivalent to precedence boarding and check-in, when travelling with Etihad Airways. Likewise, elite members of the Etihad Guest loyalty program will take pleasure in perks on flights operated by Air France/KLM.
Nonetheless, maybe probably the most intriguing a part of the Memorandum of Understanding is its proposal for reciprocal factors incomes and redemptions.
Particulars at this stage are scarce, but when confirmed, Flying Blue and Etihad Visitor loyalty program members may be capable to earn and redeem miles interchangeably between the three airways.
For instance, flights from Amsterdam to Abu Dhabi begin at slightly below 30,000 Flying Blue miles for a one-way ticket in economic system class, whereas enterprise class prices 56,250 Flying Blue miles.
It’s unclear whether or not or not Flying Blue members could have entry to Etihad Airways First Class flights for award bookings.
For comparability, Etihad Airways can be a companion with Aeroplan.
Utilizing Aeroplan factors, you possibly can e book an identical itinerary from Europe to Abu Dhabi for 25,000 Aeroplan factors in economic system or 45,000 Aeroplan factors in enterprise class. Aeroplan additionally tends to have decrease taxes, charges, and surcharges than Air France/KLM Flying Blue.
Nonetheless, it’s value noting that long-haul Etihad Airways enterprise class award availability has been absent from Aeroplan for fairly a while, and it’s unclear when it’s going to return.
In any occasion, for Europe-based passengers who regularly journey to Asia or Oceania, the expanded collaboration between the airways needs to be a welcome flip of occasions, because it guarantees larger flexibility for reserving with factors and an general extra streamlined journey expertise.
Conclusion
Air France/KLM and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to additional strengthen their pre-existing relationship.
As soon as confirmed, European travellers will take pleasure in entry to simpler connections to Asia, the Center East, and Oceania with Etihad Airways. Likewise, Abu Dhabi-based passengers will take pleasure in simpler connections to Europe with Air France and KLM’s huge community.
It’ll be fascinating to be taught extra in regards to the reciprocal advantages the airways are exploring, which embrace the power to earn and redeem factors interchangeably, in addition to lounge entry and terminal co-location.
