“I can assure you, there will be more to our partnership than just sharing our codes.”
This was the word from SAA Chief Commercial Officer, Sylvain Bosc, at a special event to celebrate the launch of SAA and Etihad Airways new codeshare service linking Johannesburg and Abu Dhabi, which will come into effect on March 29 when SAA launched daily flights to the UAE capital.
Through the partnership, SAA passengers will have access to more destinations in India and China via Abu Dhabi. The airline announced in February it would cut its direct flights to Beijing and Mumbai.
“You can expect more positive realignments and new destinations and direct flights from SAA in the coming months. We want to grow our hub and make sure OR Tambo remains the most prominent hub on the continent,” Bosc said.
This latest milestone marks the commencement of SAA’s and Etihad’s second phase of the “landmark strategic operation”, said Maurice Phohleli, Etihad’s VP for Africa Sub-Sahara and Indian Ocean. “This partnership allows us to punch above our weight and compete with airlines who are larger and stronger than we are.”
From March 29, SA travellers will have access to 49 new codeshare destinations, connecting through Abu Dhabi to Europe, SE Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Australia. There will also be synergies in terms of the airlines loyalty programmes – Voyager and Etihad Guest.
Bosc’s address:
Phohleli’s address:
