The collaboration means customers can purchase tickets through easyJet’s worldwide website for connections to both airways’ networks and opening travel opportunities to UAE hotspots like Dubai as well as Africa, the Azores and Europe.
The new agreement with easyJet marks Etihad’s first use of the New Distribution Capability (NDC) platform, which provides technical capability for new partnerships which weren’t previously possibile.
Ali Saleh, Etihad Airways vice president alliances and partnerships, said: “This new collaboration between two great brands is a logical leap forward for both our companies.
“easyJet is a perfect launch partner for us in Europe, allowing us to reliably increase the breadth of our continental reach to and from Abu Dhabi, as we enhance ways of connecting directly with more airlines and travel partners around the world.
“The ability to provide end-to-end booking capabilities through our NDC platform will provide customers with ‘one stop’ solutions for seamless travel with partners, whether legacy or low-cost, through Etihad’s global gateways.”
Etihad added that it plans to add more airlines and travel partners to its NDC portfolio in 2020.
This partnership follows easyJet’s successful rollout with flight comparison search engine, Dohop.
Rachel Smith, easyJet head of commercial partnerships, said: “We are excited to announce our partnership with Etihad Airways, which opens up Abu Dhabi as a destination to our passengers and more of Europe to Etihad.
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“It is also a key priority for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, in which Etihad is a critical driver of both social and economic development.”
Etihad Airways was named one of the safest airlines in 2020, after Qantas, Air New Zealand and EVA Air.
The list, compiled by AirlineRatings.com – an online airline safety and product rating website – monitors 405 airlines around the world to produce their annual list which ranks the who’s who of airlines by just how safe they are.
The list takes into consideration audits from aviation bodies and governments, financial position, pilot training, serious incident records and more.
6. Singapore Airlines
7. Emirates
8. Alaska Airlines
9. Cathay Pacific Airways
10. Virgin Australia
11. Hawaiian Airlines
12. Virgin Atlantic Airlines
13. TAP Portugal
14. SAS
15. Royal Jordanian
16. Swiss
17. Finnair