UAE national carrier Etihad Airways and Maldivian, the flag carrier of the Maldives, have announced that the carriers have entered into a bilateral interline partnership. The collaboration aims to improve connectivity for travelers heading to 16 destinations in the Maldives beyond the island nation’s main hub and capital city, Malé.
Following the signing of the interline agreement, travelers will be able to benefit from the combined services and networks of both carriers using a single ticket, making journeys involving flights on both carriers more seamless.
“This interline will elevate the overall customer experience across the entire journey,” said Etihad’s Chief Revenue Officer, Arik De. “Guests bound for the Maldives will enjoy the privilege of arriving at their popular holiday destinations with greater ease.”
With smoother connections on offer at Malé Velana International Airport (MLE), Etihad customers will be able to transition to Maldivian’s network of services more easily and gain access to a plethora of domestic destinations served by the national carrier.
“In an effort to expand Maldivian’s reach globally, this interline partnership with Etihad Airways will open exciting opportunities for our valued customers to connect and travel seamlessly within our strong and growing route network of destinations across the Maldives,” said Maldivian’s General Manager Commercial, Ibrahim Hamdhan Mohamed.
Destinations on offer through the interline agreement include Maldivian-operated flights to Dharavandhoo Island, Faresmathoda Airport, Funadhoo Airport, Fuvahmulak Island Airport, Gan Island Airport, Kooddoo Island, Hanimaadhoo Island Airport, Kulhudhuffushi Airport, Hoarafushi Airport, Kaadedhdhoo Island Airport, Kadhdhoo Island, Madivaru Airport, Maafaru International Airport, Maavarulu Airport, Thimarafushi Airport, and Ifuru.
To further enhance the travel experience for passengers traveling to the Maldives, Etihad is set to increase the frequency of its flights to Malé from 10 to 14 a week starting on January 1, 2024. This move aims to ensure better synchronization with the Maldivian network and smoother connections in Malé, providing travelers with more flexibility in planning their vacation travel.
This collaboration with Maldivian becomes the latest in Etihad’s expanding network of partnerships with airlines worldwide. In the final quarter of 2023 alone, Etihad has announced codeshare agreements with both SAS Scandinavian Airlines and TAP Portugal.
Maldivian has its headquarters and main operating base located at Velana International Airport. The airline operates a fleet of three ATR42/72s, nine De Havilland Canada Dash 8-200 and -300s, a single Airbus A320, plus a fleet of Twin Otter seaplanes for services to resort islands from Malé.