The partnership will come to an end mid-next year.
Etihad Airways’ codeshare and bilateral frequent flyer partnership with Virgin Australia is coming to an end in June, the United Arab Emirates’ flag carrier has confirmed.
The carrier said the decision “reflects a divergence in the strategic direction of the respective airlines”, with its Middle Eastern competitor Qatar Airways announcing it intends to take a 25% stake in Virgin.
Passengers will no longer be able to book Virgin-operated flights through Etihad’s booking channels once the termination takes effect, nor will they be able to earn Guest Miles on VA flights.
There will be no change for Etihad customers with existing bookings that include a Virgin-operated segment.
The move was foreshadowed last week by outgoing Virgin Chief Executive Officer Jayne Hrdlicka at the Australian Corporate Travel Summit, who confirmed Etihad will no longer be a strategic partner if Qatar’s stake is approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
More details in tomorrow’s issue of Travel Daily.