en.Wedoany.com Reported - Abra Group and Etihad Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding, planning to establish a multi-faceted partnership covering areas such as code-sharing and aircraft leasing.

Abra Group is the parent company of Avianca, Gol, and Wamos Air. The company, together with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways, aims through this partnership to "enhance connectivity between Latin America, the Middle East, and Asia via the combined network of Etihad and Abra's airlines." The parties outlined several potential areas of cooperation in a statement but did not disclose specific details of the planned partnership.

According to the two companies, a key objective of the partnership is to provide Abra's travelers with access to the Middle East, Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and Australia via Etihad's route network, while enabling Etihad's customers to reach various destinations in Latin America more conveniently. Etihad currently does not operate flights to South America, and neither Avianca nor Gol operates flights to the Middle East. The parties did not announce any new routes.

The parties plan to collaborate through mutual loyalty program benefits, code-sharing, and the potential dry lease of an Airbus A330-900 by Etihad starting in November. Etihad also stated that Wamos Air, which focuses on wet leasing, is expected to support the airline's expansion plans. Both Abra and Etihad have signed agreements with Avolon to lease A330-900 aircraft, and Etihad has confirmed an order with Airbus for six of these aircraft. Wamos Air operates A330ceo aircraft. The partnership is expected to launch later this year.

Abra and Etihad stated that they will continue to advance the development of definitive agreements to govern the proposed initiatives, but the cooperation is subject to regulatory approvals, commercial agreements, and operational feasibility assessments.