Hong Kong Airlines and Etihad Airways relaunch codeshare partnership

Hong Kong Airlines and Etihad Airways are relaunching their codeshare partnership (image courtesy Shutterstock)

Etihad Airways relaunched its Hong Kong service this week, offering five flights a week between Abu Dhabi and the Asian city. Services with Hong Kong ceased during the pandemic.

As well as the flight schedule, Etihad Airways and Hong Kong Airlines have announced the relaunch of their codeshare partnership, alongside the signing of their first-ever loyalty programme reciprocity agreement.

The first codeshare flight took off from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong on November 3. Under the new arrangement, Hong Kong Airlines will place its ‘HX’ code on Etihad-operated flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi and Etihad will place its ‘EY’ code on Hong Kong Airlines-operated flights between Hong Kong and Japan, including key leisure destinations such as Sapporo, Okinawa, Osaka and Fukuoka.

The reciprocal loyalty programme will be introduced in the next few months and will allow members of Hong Kong Airlines’ Fortune Wings Club (FWC) and Etihad’s Etihad Guest to earn and redeem miles when travelling across both carriers’ networks.

FWC members will earn FWC reward and status points when flying Etihad-operated services between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi, and Etihad Guest members flying on designated Hong Kong Airlines services will earn Etihad Guest miles and tier miles.

“This partnership marks an important milestone in Hong Kong Airlines’ return to the international market,” said Louis Li, executive vice president of Hong Kong Airlines. “Our relationship with Etihad Airways began in 2014 through codeshare cooperation and has remained strong ever since. As the capital of the United Arab Emirates, Abu Dhabi plays a vital role in facilitating trade and economic ties between Hong Kong and the Middle East.”

Flights to Abu Dhabi take off from Hong Kong on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, with a departure time of 7.35pm. The return flight leaves Abu Dhabi on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 9.15pm.