Etihad furthers search for airline partnerships

06 March 2012

James Hogan, the chief executive of Etihad Airways has said the airline plans more tie-ups with other carriers to intensify its strategy of growing passenger numbers, Bloomberg has reported. The third-largest airline in the Middle East sees signing deals and taking stakes in smaller operators serving key markets as a vital complement to spending money on planes as it builds Abu Dhabi into a hub for inter-continental travel, Hogan said. Etihad, which posted a 17% rise in passengers in 2011 to 8.3 million, has also looked at Ireland's Aer Lingus Group and will explore other options to tap key markets where airline managements are amenable to a tie-up, he said.

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