Etihad Airways seeking transatlantic codesharing with Air Berlin on some US routes

Etihad Airways recently disclosed that it is looking to further strengthen its fresh partnership with Air Berlin. The airline said that it wants to expand its operations on some US routes and is seeking to enter into codeshare agreement with Air Berlin in this regard.

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways in a statement said that it has requested US regulators for putting its code on Air Berlin flights between Dusseldorf and New York JFK and Miami. If approved, both the carriers will able to cross-sell seats on each other’s flights.

In December 2011, Ethihad Airways had acquired a minority stake in Air Berlin. The airline had also applied for antitrust immunity on flights between European Union and UAE.

The pact between Etihad Airways and Air Berlin is already being opposed by Lufthansa, and adding a codeshare on US flights is likely to make the rivalry stiffer. Lufthansa is fiercely against any kind of expansion by Gulf carriers into Germany.

Etihad Airways and Air Berlin in their filing with the U.S. Department of Transportation have already indicated that they might seek expanding codesharing on transatlantic services beyond the United States.