Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa German Airlines recently unveiled details of a new commercial partnership.
The two airline groups have concluded a $100 million global catering agreement and a Memorandum of Understanding to co-operate in aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul.
The four-year catering contract will see Lufthansa’s LSG Sky Chefs provide catering services to Etihad Airways in 16 cities in Europe, Asia and the Americas.
Etihad Aviation Group and Lufthansa Technik also signed a MoU to explore co-operation in maintenance, repair and overhaul services across Etihad Airways and its airline equity partners, and opportunities for synergies with Etihad Airways Engineering.
Etihad and Lufthansa are also exploring further co-operation in a number of areas, including freight operations, procurement and passenger services to improve their competitive offering.
The Lufthansa Group signed an agreement in December 2016 with Air Berlin, in which Etihad Aviation Group holds a 29% stake, for the wet-lease of 38 aircraft. Lufthansa’s point-to-point carrier Eurowings will wet-lease 33 aircraft, and Austrian Airlines, a Lufthansa Group airline, will take on five aircraft. The agreement between Eurowings and Air Berlin, signed on 16 December 2016, will last for six years and is slated to begin on 10 February 2017 when the first aircraft starts operating for Eurowings.