A codeshare is being strengthened between Etihad Airways Garuda Indonesia to almost double the number of destinations covered.
As many as 42 points across the Indonesian archipelago, south-east Asia, Middle East, US and Europe now covered by the agreement which was first struck a decade ago.
The pact covers cities served beyond the airlines’ respective hubs in Abu Dhabi and Jakarta.
They will also offer reciprocal miles accrual and redemption opportunities to members of their loyalty schemes.
Etihad Airways chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said: “This expansion will serve as a platform for what we envision will be a deep ongoing partnership between our two airlines.
“We look forward to exploring comprehensive and pragmatic ways in which the two carriers can increase collaboration, enhance benefits and customer experience for our most frequent travellers and further extend the reach of our joint networks beyond our hubs.
“This reflects Etihad’s continued drive for commercial sustainability and is part of our broader partnership strategy, which enables Etihad guests to access nearly 400 cities worldwide, in addition to Etihad’s operating network.”
Garuda president and chief executive Irfan Setiaputra said: “As a national flag carrier, it is our main focus to connect Indonesia with the world, providing a coherent relation to a wide range of diversity of nature and cultural richness throughout the archipelago.
“With both airlines’ extensive networks worldwide and nationally, we believe that this extended partnership will not only give added value to Garuda Indonesia’s passengers to access popular destinations across the globe, especially to the United States, Turkey and Abu Dhabi, but will also offer a range of domestic destinations, especially in the area of East Indonesia for Etihad’s passengers.
“Due to Indonesia being an archipelago comprising more than 17,000 islands, air travel is necessary for the mobility of both people and goods. This can lead to significant opportunities for the aviation ecosystem to recover stronger after the pandemic.
“With more than 10 years of partnership between both airlines, we look forward to exploring the possibility to intensify the long existing partnership with Etihad not only in the network expansion strategy, but also in other promising business perspective.”