Jet Airways and Etihad now number one operators out of India

In the first six months of 2015 Etihad Airways transferred more than 235,000 guests on to Jet Airways’ network into India through its codeshare partnership, with Jet Airways providing 182,000 guests on to the Etihad Airways network.

Jet Airways and Etihad Airways are now the number one operators out of India, the companies said at the weekend.

In November 2013, Etihad bought a 24 per cent stake in Jet Airways for US$379 million and in the latest quarter the Indian airline reversed it loss of a year ago, it said.

Jet Airways’ net profit before taxes for the April to June quarter was 226.4 crore rupees compared with a net loss of 258 crore for the same period last year.

The airline’s total revenue (combined) for the quarter increased by 11 per cent to 5,658 crore from 5,097 crore last year. Passenger revenues for rose by 10.4 per cent to 4,707 crore from 4,262 crore.

The two airlines together now offer more flights to and from India than any other airline, with a 21 per cent share of the country’s booming international air travel market, Eithad said.

Since 2013, the two airlines have increased from nine to 15 the number of direct routes between India and Abu Dhabi.

The carriers now offer a combined total of 40,000 seats each way, each week between India and Abu Dhabi.

"Our strategic collaboration with Etihad Airways includes network integration, joint sales effort, sharing of resources, collaborated procurement and knowledge transfer," said Jet Airways' chairman Naresh Goyal.

“All of these have enabled us to leverage cost advantages and economies of scale.

“Together with Etihad Airways, we now operate over 4,300 international flights a month, more flights to/from India than any other airline,” he added.

In terms of the combined network, Jet Airways now has its 9W code on Etihad Airways flights to 33 destinations across the world, while Etihad Airways now places its EY code on 60 Jet Airways routes, mostly within India.

“Before our equity deal with Jet Airways, we had 2 per cent of the international traffic out of India. Today, with Jet Airways, we have 21 per cent of the market, and combined, we are the dominant carriers out of India,” said James Hogan, Etihad’s chief executive

“Jet Airways is now our number one equity partner for revenue and passenger contribution on Etihad Airways. India is now Abu Dhabi’s number one source market for international visitors,” he said.

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