Etihad Airways and Aer Lingus codeshare gains US regulatory approval

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), has received approval from the United States (US) Department of Transportation to put its 'EY' flight code on Aer Lingus' transatlantic services out of Dublin, Ireland.

Etihad Airways will offer ten weekly codeshare flights via Dublin to Boston, eight to Chicago, 12 to New York and bookings can now be made.

One of the unique advantages of the new transatlantic codeshare services to both New York and Chicago will be the ability to pre-clear US Customs and Border Protection in Dublin, meaning Etihad Airways’ guests will effectively arrive into the US as domestic passengers.

US regulatory approval follows last July’s announcement of a historic interline and codeshare agreement between the respective national carriers.

Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways’ chief strategy and planning officer, said: “Our strategic partnership with Aer Lingus continues to flourish and, as a result of US regulatory approval for transatlantic services, air travellers in the UAE and beyond now have greater access to the American market via Dublin.

“Enhancing connectivity, making the journey easier and more enjoyable, increasing choice, and seamlessly integrating our operations with those of codeshare partners underpin our strategy for building our global network.”

Stephen Kavanagh, Aer Lingus’ chief commercial officer, said: “Customers connecting from Etihad Airways’ network onto Aer Lingus flights at Dublin will enjoy a seamless transfer and will be able to avail of Dublin’s US pre-clearance facilities. We look forward to welcoming Etihad Airways’ customers on board our transatlantic flights.”