Etihad, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier, announced that it is partnering with the British low-cost carrier easyJet. According to Etihad, the partnership comes into effect immediately and would allow easyJet customers to book flights on the combined network of both airlines.
The full-service carrier will add its first partner into its New Distribution Capability (NDC) program that utilizes cloud-based technology to increase the range of ancillary offerings to its customers. Etihad’s NDC plans were announced in September 2018, when the airline partnered with Farelogix, a software engineering company from Miami, Florida (United States).
Farelogix’s product FLX Merchandise will allow Etihad to enhance the booking experience for passengers, including such basics as preferred seating, priority boarding and other optional extras that will enhance the journey onboard Etihad Airways’ aircraft. Furthermore, the Emirati carrier plans to add more airlines to its NDC portfolio, meaning customers will be able to book a wider range of destinations through “Etihad’s global gateways,” said the carrier’s Vice President of Alliances and Partnerships, Ali Saleh.
“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,” Saleh added.
The low-cost carrier’s customers are now able to connect to Etihad Airways’ network in 10 European cities, including Amsterdam, Barcelona, Madrid, Milan, Paris, Rome and several others. Plans to further increase the offering of connections is in motion, states the press release.