Deal will help Aer Lingus expand

Aer Lingus has struck a deal with Etihad Airways that will see the two airlines have full access to each others’ destinations allowing them to span the globe.

Aer Lingus will co-operate with Etihad Airways on flights between Abu Dhabi and Dublin and have full access to flights across the network beyond Abu Dhabi, to points including Australia, Asia-Pacific, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East.

In addition, Etihad will cooperate with Aer Lingus on services to a total of 18 destinations, including Dublin to New York, Boston, London Heathrow, Amsterdam, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Lisbon.

The codeshare agreement will see Etihad Airways place its “EY” code on Aer Lingus flights between Dublin, Manchester and London Heathrow, and destinations in Ireland, the British Isles, the Channel Islands, Portugal, the Netherlands and the US.

In return, Aer Lingus will place its “EI” code on Etihad Airways flights between Abu Dhabi and Dublin, and have full access to flights across the network beyond Abu Dhabi, to points including Australia, Asia-Pacific, the Indian Subcontinent and the Middle East.

Gerrard Moore, aviation analyst with Merrion stockbrokers, said that the deal was typical of Aer Lingus’s core strategy of building alliances while remaining independent.

“Core Aer Lingus strategy is to remain independent but to build alliances such as with Air France, KLM, and British Airways. Aer Lingus have been very fortunate as the other carriers they have agreements with haven’t got annoyed, mainly because they are not that big,” he said.