Etihad Airways has expanded its codeshare partnership with Belavia – Belarusian Airlines to offer travellers a daily service between Abu Dhabi and Kiev, Ukraine, via Minsk National Airport.

Under the agreement, Etihad Airways will place its EY flight code on Belavia’s daily services between Minsk and Kiev.

Belavia and Etihad Airways signed an initial codeshare agreement in 2013, allowing travellers to fly on Etihad Airways-operated flights from Minsk to Abu Dhabi, and onwards to Ho Chi Minh, Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne and Perth. During the two-year partnership, more than 750 joint flights have been operated on the Abu Dhabi – Minsk route, and both airlines carried more than 110 thousand travellers.

“Our partnership with one of the world’s leading airlines is rooted in a vision of offering the best services and experiences to our customers,” says Belavia Airlines general director Anatoly Gusarov. “We have been pleased with our journey together so far, and look forward to growing our partnership and widening our horizons.”

“The strategic partnership with Belavia Airlines establishes our presence in the Ukrainian market, and provides air travellers with more options to fly to Minsk and onwards to Kiev,” says Etihad Airways’ chief strategy and planning officer Kevin Knight. The codeshare also gives Etihad Airways’ customers a new choice of destination with the benefit of a single combined ticket.”