Etihad Airways, signed a codeshare agreement with China Eastern Airlines. The new agreement is the Abu Dhabi-based airline’s 37th codeshare partnership. It follows the exchange of a memorandum of understanding with the Shanghai-based Chinese carrier in March this year.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways' president and chief executive officer, said “The codeshare with China Eastern Airlines is a win-win for both businesses and for travellers across our combined global networks.

“It expands our networks in a commercially viable and mutually beneficial way, and offers our customers more choice of destinations, schedules and loyalty benefits.” 

Liu Shaoyong, China Eastern Airlines' chairman added, "China Eastern is very pleased to cooperate with Etihad Airways and values the partnership. Signing the codeshare agreement has great significance for increased cooperation in a range of areas which will be for the benefit of our shared customers."

Initially, China Eastern Airlines will place its ‘MU’ code on Etihad Airways’ flights between Abu Dhabi and Shanghai.

Both airlines intend to expand their partnership in subsequent phases of cooperation. China Eastern will assign its ‘MU’ code on Etihad Airways flights to destinations not on the Chinese carrier’s network while Etihad Airways plans to codeshare on China Eastern’s domestic services beyond the latter's Shanghai hub.

The two airlines plan to offer reciprocal benefits such as mileage earn and burn to members of their frequent flyer programs in the fourth quarter of 2012. The new codeshare services between Abu Dhabi and China go on sale on 30 August 2012 for travel from 3 September.

Signing of the initial  MoU - March 2012: Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer James Hogan and China Eastern Airlines chairman Liu Shaoyong, chief strategy and planning officer Kevin Knight and China Eastern Airlines marketing director Dong Bo