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NEWS
Above, from the left, James Rigney, Chief Financial Officer Etihad Airways; Maurizio Merlo, CEO Darwin Airline; James Hogan, President and CEO Etihad Airways; Emilio Martinenghi, President Darwin Airline
venth European partner in Etihad Airways’ equity alliance network, the fourth in Europe and the first to operate with the “Etihad Regional” sub-brand. The investment will grant Etihad Airways access to European regional markets and enable Darwin Airline to expand its operations. The company will also be welcoming Shelley Cole on board its team in the role of Chief Financial Officer. In order to join Darwin, the manager, who is already a member of the Etihad group, is quitting the same position she holds with Air Seychelles. The new “Etihad Regional” logo will be visible on all sides of the fuselage of the Darwin Airline aircraft, whereas the rear part will be inscribed with the words “Operated by Darwin Airline”, accompanied by the logo of the Swiss company. By mid-2014, the Darwin Airline network will have expanded through the addition of twenty-one new connections and sixteen new destinations, including 8
six strategic European cities operated by Etihad Airways: Geneva, Amsterdam, Paris, Düsseldorf, Belgrade and – from June – Zurich. Darwin Airline will be able to connect to the network of airberlin, a partner of Etihad Airways, through new routes for Berlin, Düsseldorf and Zurich, which ETIHAD AIRWAYS Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates. Operative since 2003, in 2012 it carried 10.3 million passengers. From its main hub, Abu Dhabi International Airport, Etihad Airways operates flights to ninety-six (passenger and cargo) destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas, with a fleet of eighty-five Airbus and Boeing aircraft. Etihad Airways has interests in airberlin, Air Seychelles, Virgin Australia and Aer Lingus, and has received regulatory approval to acquire 24% of India’s Jet Airways. From January 2014, Etihad Airways will acquire 49% of Air Serbia.
are already open. In particular, Berlin and Düsselderf, the two most important hubs for airberlin, offer excellent connections with the United States. Through Air Serbia’s Belgrade hub, Darwin Airline will also be connected to the Serbian company’s network. Darwin Airline’s Chief Executive Officer, Maurizio Merlo, confirms that the partnership with Etihad Airways will significantly contribute to the company’s growth, not just by offering new travel opportunities to its European clients, but also by ensuring greater access to Europe for travellers from across the world. “We have built a solid position in regional markets across Europe and through this partnership we can add another major dimension, enabling our customers to access the global network of destinations offered by Etihad Airways, while providing fresh options for overseas visitors to travel through Europe on our flights,” states Merlo. “This arrangement is new and exciting for both