Etihad extends codeshare with Brussels Airlines

Under the deal, which comes into effect on October 6, the Abu Dhabi-based airline will place its two-letter 'EY' code on Brussels Airlines' flights from the Belgium capital to Oslo in Norway, Stockholm and Gothenburg in Sweden, Helsinki in Finland and Copenhagen in Denmark.

In turn, the extended codeshare agreement will give Scandinavian air travellers access, via Brussels, to Etihad's home base of Abu Dhabi and beyond it to nearly 50 destinations on the airline's global network which covers the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North America.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways' chief executive, said:

"Brussels Airlines represents one of our most established and successful codeshare agreements. The extended arrangement opens up an important business and leisure market for Etihad, including the four key capital cities of Oslo, Stockholm, Copenhagen and Helsinki. Whilst these destinations may be renowned for being a bit cold, we're expecting the deal to be warmly welcomed."

Etihad operates four flights a week to Brussels. Flight EY57 departs Abu Dhabi on Wednesdays and Sundays at 2.50am and arrives in Brussels at 7.55am the same day.

Return flight EY58 departs Brussels on the same days at 11.45am and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 8.15pm the same day.

Flight EY55 departs Abu Dhabi on Mondays and Fridays at 1.40pm and arrives in Brussels at 6.45pm the same day.

Return flight EY56 departs Brussels on the same days at 10.10pm and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 6.40am the following day.

The original codeshare deal between Etihad and Brussels Airlines (formerly SN Brussels) came into force in October 2005.

Under this agreement, Brussels Airlines places its code on all Etihad flights between Brussels and Abu Dhabi.

Etihad currently has nine other codeshare agreements with Malaysian Airlines, Jet Airways, Yemen Airways, Saudi Arabia Airlines, Sri Lankan Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Philippine Airlines, Middle East Airlines and UK-based airline, bmi.