In late 2023, Etihad and Air France-KLM expanded their partnership, which included Air France launching flights to Abu Dhabi. Air France recently revealed it would cut its Abu Dhabi route, just a year after it launched. There’s now an interesting update, as Etihad is increasing service in the market.
Continue reading: Etihad Boosts Paris Flights, As Air France Cuts Abu Dhabi
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Etihad didnt have the aircraft at the time to offer two flights a day to Paris, so paid Air France to fly what was essentially a second Etihad flight. Qatar did the same thing with American for the JFK- DOH flight, and is doing the same thing now with American for PHL-DOH.
This has been the same thing, and they'll likely continue to have some sort of code sharing, etc with Air France.
no. It's been very clear. the Doha-Philadelphia flight is now an AA flight. It doesnt switch between QR and AA. It's just AA. But QR pays AA to operate on their behalf.
Same to when AA flew from JFK to DOH. QR wanted to operate a third flight but didnt have enough airplanes. so it paid AA to operate a flight. It was very clear who flew what.
Qatar does this with a few other airlines on other routes. For example it pays Malaysia Airlines to operate the fligth from Doha to/ from Kuala Lumpur. Pays Finnair to operate certain flights between Doha and some Nordic destinations.
AF partners with EY so it’s more economical for the latter to use their own metal.
But QR pays AA to operate on their behalf. Same to when AA flew from JFK to DOH. QR wanted to operate a third flight but didnt have enough airplanes. so it paid AA to operate a flight. It was very clear who flew what.
Except that that would be highly illegal.
QR and AA have not been granted anti-trust immunity, and thus QR cannot "pay AA to operate a flight."
(outside of a wet-lease agreement, which they also haven't entered into)