Prime Highlights-
- Etihad Airways, Africa World Airlines sign MoU covering codeshare, cargo, and loyalty cooperation.
- Deal links Etihad’s 118 destinations with AWA’s Ghana and West Africa network.
Key Facts-
- Direct Etihad Abu Dhabi to Accra service set to launch in March 2027.
- Partnership includes Etihad Cargo access for Ghanaian and West African exporters.
Background-
Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national carrier, and Africa World Airlines, the Accra-based airline serving Ghana and West Africa for over a decade, have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to build a strategic partnership.
The agreement covers codeshare and interline cooperation, cargo collaboration, and frequent flyer programmes, according to a statement shared with the Ghana News Agency.
It provides a framework connecting both airlines’ networks, letting Etihad passengers travel on a single ticket beyond Accra to AWA destinations across Ghana and West Africa, while AWA passengers gain access to Abu Dhabi and Etihad’s 118-destination network.
The partnership extends to cargo operations too, opening Etihad Cargo’s global network to Ghanaian and West African exporters, alongside loyalty programme cooperation giving members of both carriers more ways to earn and redeem rewards. It arrives as Ghana and the UAE deepen trade, investment, and government ties, with travel between Accra and the UAE on the rise.
Cooperation will roll out in phases, and the deal also sets the stage for Etihad’s direct Abu Dhabi to Accra service, due to launch in March 2027, with combined journeys going on sale once the interline agreement takes effect.
Arik De, Chief Commercial and Revenue Officer at Etihad Airways, called Ghana one of West Africa’s most dynamic aviation markets and described AWA as the ideal partner, adding that the framework would connect Ghanaian travellers and businesses to Abu Dhabi and beyond.
Sohail Mahmood, Chief Operating Officer of Africa World Airlines, said the carrier had long connected Ghana and West Africa through cities including Kumasi, Lagos, and Abuja, and that the partnership would open seamless access to Abu Dhabi for customers.
