Gulf Air signs major partnership agreement with Etihad Airways

MANAMA: Gulf Air has inked a partnership with Etihad Airways, whereby the loyalty programmes of the two airlines get linked.

The partnership expands on the codeshare agreement between the two airlines and provides further co-operation between the frequent flyer programmes, Falconflyer and Etihad Guest.

This allows members to earn and redeem miles reciprocally on all flights across both networks. In both cases, the number of miles earned will depend upon the class of travel flown.

Gulf Air’s chief commercial officer Vincent Coste said: “Gulf Air entered into a strategic codeshare partnership with Etihad Airways in March 2019. As an additional value proposition, we are delighted to build upon our successful partnership by further providing our Falconflyer members with the opportunity to earn and spend their Gulf Air miles on the Etihad Airways’ network.”

Etihad Aviation Group’s chief commercial officer Robin Kamark said: “Our recently redesigned, upgraded, and relaunched loyalty programme, Etihad Guest, welcomes another valued partner that offers our members even more opportunities to earn and redeem their miles. This new and exciting partnership helps us continuously evolve and improve our loyalty programme based on the needs of our guests and in line with our ever-changing industry.”

Gulf Air connects its passengers to 48 destinations across the Gulf, Europe, Africa, Asia and India.

This new partnership provides Bahrain’s national carrier’s passengers with access to a broader network of destinations, particularly to North America where they can take advantage of Etihad’s USA pre-clearance, the only US Customs and Border Protection facility in the Middle East.

It allows US-bound passengers to process all immigration, customs and agriculture inspections in Abu Dhabi before they board their flight to one of Etihad’s four North American destinations.

Source: http://www.gdnonline.com/Details/726917