ETIHAD AND QANTAS SIGN CODESHARE AGREEMENT

MELBOURNE, March 11 (Bernama) -- Etihad Airways is to sign a new codeshare
agreement with Qantas, in a deal which signals the start of closer commercial
cooperation between the two airlines.

The deal will see the Abu Dhabi-based airline place its two-letter 'EY' code
on selected Qantas domestic services which operate beyond Sydney, Melbourne and
Brisbane -- the three gateway airports served by it.

Etihad will also place its code on daily Qantas flights from Melbourne to
Auckland in New Zealand.

The initial codeshare agreement comes into effect on March 29 and is likely
to be extended to other routes in the future.

"Australia represents a key market for Etihad and one in which we are keen
to grow further.This is both through the addition of new routes of our own, such
as Melbourne, and in close cooperation with other well-established airlines
such as Qantas,'' James Hogan, Etihad Airways' chief executive said.

"Qantas represents one of the most respected airlines in the world, and we
see this codeshare agreement very much as the start of a deepening strategic
relationship which both airlines are committed to developing further in the
future," he added.

The Qantas routes within Australia covered by the new codeshare arrangement
will initially include services between Sydney and Brisbane, Sydney and Cairns
as well as Melbourne and Adelaide.

In turn, Qantas will place its own 'QF' code on all services operated by
Etihad between Australia and Abu Dhabi and a selection of Etihad services
connecting the UAE capital to the Middle Eastern destinations of Amman (in
Jordan), Bahrain and Beirut (in Lebanon).

Qantas executive general manager John Borghetti said the new codeshare
agreement with Etihad Airways was a significant strategic development for
Qantas.

"The United Arab Emirates and the broader Middle East are important markets
for Australia in terms of both business links and tourism," Borghetti
highlighted.

Etihad flies to three destinations in Australia -- Sydney, Brisbane and,
from March 29, Melbourne.

Recent forecasts by the Tourism Australia Aviation and Economics team
suggest that the number of people from the Middle East and North Africa visiting
Australia is expected to grow by eight percent this year and by 15 percent in
2010.

Etihad offers flights to 50 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North
America, Africa, Asia and Australia. The airline has a fleet of 43 aircraft.
--BERNAMA