Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) has signed a code-sharing agreement with the UAE-based Etihad Airways which will allow passengers to travel on Etihad Airways with PIA tickets. This will help Pakistani passengers to travel to more than 70 locations around the globe. Under this agreement, each airline will place the flight code of the other between local destinations such as Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Abu Dhabi and from Abu Dhabi to global destinations.
Khurram Mushtaq Director Marketing of Pakistan International Airlines said: “This is indeed a great opportunity for PIA to join hands with Etihad Airways, connecting Pakistan to UAE and around the globe, expanding reach to more destinations for the convenience of valued passengers”.
PIA managed to add Rs. 1.136 billion in revenue in 2014 with three previous code-share agreements with Chinese Carrier, Far Eastern Carrier and EU Carrier. The recent agreement with Etihad Airways will help PIA attract international travellers from Middle East, EU, Africa and South America. Such agreements are considered necessary for the revival of an airline since an airline can expand its exposure in other markets and access hundreds of locations without operating it’s own aircraft. However, code-share agreement can also limit an airline to market for its own routes.
The booking of tickets under the agreement will start from June 30, 2015 and the first travel date will be July 27, 2015.
Source: Business Recorder
