Hainan airlines shifts Gulf hub to Abu Dhabi

Etihad Airways' codeshare partner Hainan Airlines has shifted its Gulf flight operations from Dubai to Abu Dhabi. The Skytrax five-star rated airline now operates its twice weekly Beijing to Luanda service via Etihad Airways' hub in Abu Dhabi. The new services are timed to offer Hainan Airlines' guests seamless connectivity from Beijing to Berlin and London Heathrow and from Cairo, the Maldives and Casablanca* to Beijing on the return. The move to Abu Dhabi expands the scope of cooperation between the airline partners beyond the original agreement, signed in December 2011, to codeshare on flights and offer guests reciprocal frequent flyer program benefits. Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, welcomed the Chinese carrier's decision to move its operations to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. "This is a huge vote of confidence for the operators of Abu Dhabi International Airport and its suppliers. We expect there will be significant flow-on opportunities and benefits for the myriad stakeholders in the Emirate, including those in the tourism industry," he said. President of Hainan Airlines Mr Liu Lu said: "Our move to Abu Dhabi International Airport will optimize our Beijing to Luanda operation. A deeper partnership with Etihad Airways will also enable our customers to connect in Abu Dhabi to multiple destinations throughout the Middle East, Africa and Europe."