Etihad Airways and Air Europa have celebrated a historic milestone as Air Europa operates its inaugural wet-lease flight from Abu Dhabi to Madrid, marking the Spanish carrier’s first-ever aircraft operation from the Middle East.
The landmark Boeing 787-9 service represents a significant evolution of the partnership between the two airlines, building on their expanded codeshare agreement and frequent flyer programme cooperation. This collaboration highlights the value of strategic partnerships in improving global connectivity and offering more seamless travel options for passengers across four continents.
New destinations
“By partnering with Air Europa, we’re opening exciting possibilities for our passengers seeking to explore new destinations,” noted Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways.
“Partnering with Etihad Airways to launch our first Middle East service from Abu Dhabi is a major milestone for Air Europa. It allows us to better serve growing demand for travel between Spain and the UAE,” reiterated Juan José Hidalgo, President, Air Europa.
The partnership reinforces Etihad’s commitment to supporting Abu Dhabi’s position as an attractive destination for both leisure and business travel, while also strengthening links with key European markets such as Spain. Together, Etihad and Air Europa offer passengers convenient travel options to more than 130 destinations across their combined networks.
The wet-lease operation establishes a strong foundation for more strategic initiatives between Etihad and Air Europa in the future, including opportunities for deeper commercial activities and expanded bilateral cooperation.
