ABU DHABI // Etihad Airways and Jet Airways now offer more flights to and from India than any other airline, with a 21 per cent share of the country’s booming international air travel market.

Since Etihad took a 24 per cent stake in the Indian carrier in November 2013, the two airlines have increased from nine to 15 the number of direct routes between India and Abu Dhabi, introduced wide-bodied aircraft on key routes and introduced multiple daily flights on some routes.

In the first six months of 2015, Etihad transferred more than 235,000 passengers onto Jet Airways’ network into India through its codeshare partnership, with the Mumbai-based airline providing 182,000 passengers onto Etihad’s network.

Naresh Goyal, Jet Airways’ chairman, said: “Our collaboration with Etihad Airways includes network integration, joint sales effort, sharing of resources, collaborated procurement and knowledge transfer. All of these have enabled us to leverage cost advantages and economies of scale to the eventual benefit of our guests, as well as our employees.

“Together with Etihad, we now operate over 4,300 international flights a month, more flights to and from India than any other airline and provide our guests with an unparalleled global and domestic network, with perhaps the best and most convenient connectivity.”

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive, said: “Before our equity deal with Jet Airways, we had two per cent of the international traffic out of India. Today, with Jet Airways, we have 21 per cent of the market, and combined, we are the dominant carriers out of India.

“Jet Airways is now our number one equity partner for revenue and passenger contribution on Etihad Airways. India is now Abu Dhabi’s number one source market for international visitors.”

Jet Airways now has its 9W code on Etihad flights to 33 destinations across the world, while Etihad now places its EY code on 60 Jet Airways routes, mostly within India.

The airlines have also aligned their schedules between Abu Dhabi and India to improve flight connectivity between their networks, substantially increasing choice for passengers on both airlines.

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