Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the UAE, and Gulf Air, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Bahrain on Wednesday have signed a Strategic Commercial Cooperation Agreement (SCCA) to strengthen their partnership.
The Strategic Commercial Cooperation Agreement was signed by Tony Douglas, group CEO of Etihad Aviation Group, and Captain Waleed AlAlawi, Gulf Air’s acting CEO.
The agreement offers a step-by-step approach to increasing cooperation between the two parties. In the first phase, set to end in June 2021, the scope of the codeshare agreement signed in 2019 will witness further expansion, with Etihad and Gulf Air offering up to 30 additional destinations beyond Abu Dhabi and Manama, across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and Asia.
The two companies will work together to improve joint operations on the Abu Dhabi-Bahrain route and on the Al Wasl network through their headquarters. The agreement will also grant more benefits to distinguished guests from the Etihad Guest and Falconflyer programs, including the use of carriers’ lounges at airports and many other services throughout the guest’s journey, regardless of the operator.
The two partners will also work on improving the guest’s journey on the Abu Dhabi-Bahrain route, to make it smoother, regardless of the operator, while developing and coordinating laws and products in different sectors such as luggage and accessories.
Tony Douglas said: “This agreement reinforces the strength of the ongoing partnership between our two airlines. We look forward to exploring pragmatic ways in which the two carriers can increasingly work seamlessly between our two capitals, enhance benefits and customer experience for our most frequent travelers and further extend the reach of our joint networks beyond our hubs.”
Captain AlAlawi said: “Our relationship with Etihad Airways has always been strong and today we are reaching a higher level of collaboration with many more opportunities on the horizon between the national carriers of the Kingdom of Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates. This agreement will empower both of us to offer a more elevated experience to passengers and widen their travel options.”