TBM Staff - Mumbai
Emirates and ITA Airways have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to elevate their existing interline arrangement into a comprehensive codeshare partnership. The codeshare initiative is set to enhance travel possibilities and connectivity options for passengers traveling between Dubai, Italy, and beyond.
The MoU lays the groundwork for strengthening the collaboration between both airlines, facilitating one-stop connections to various cities in Italy and broader Europe through ITA Airways. This collaboration will also streamline and expedite journeys to the Emirates network from Dubai, featuring optimal routes, schedules, and connections.
Adnan Kazim, Deputy President and CFO, Emirates Airline, stated, “Enhancing our partnerships and boosting our presence in key regions such as Europe is an integral part of our commercial strategy, and underscores our commitment to providing customers flexibility through our partners’ complementary networks. Working closely with ITA Airways will strengthen our footprint across exciting cities in Italy and key points in Europe.”
Antonino Turicchi, Chairman of ITA Airways, emphasised that the MoU aligns with the airline’s growth-oriented commercial strategy. It also provides passengers with convenient connectivity options through Rome Fiumicino and Dubai. The agreement marks ITA Airways’ 35th codeshare partnership achieved in just over two years.
Once implemented, the codeshare will enable Emirates’ passengers to seamlessly reach multiple domestic cities in Italy from Rome, including renowned tourist destinations like Florence, Genoa, Palermo, and Trieste. Furthermore, customers can connect to various European cities such as Tirana and Sofia. ITA Airways passengers will enjoy expanded travel choices by connecting to the Emirates route network from Dubai through the airline’s Rome services. The codeshare arrangement aims to offer combined ticketing and smooth baggage transfers, fostering connectivity between both carriers. It is also expected to bolster inbound tourism to Italian destinations from Emirates’ network regions, spanning Australia, the Far East, Middle East/GCC, and West Asia.
The MoU contemplates extending reciprocal loyalty benefits through both airlines’ frequent flyer programs in the future. However, the rollout of codeshare flights is contingent on obtaining requisite government and regulatory approvals. Once secured, these codeshare services will gradually become accessible to customers through online platforms and travel agencies.
Emirates currently operates 41 weekly flights connecting Dubai with its four Italian gateways—Rome, Milan, Venice, and Bologna—utilising a combination of Boeing 777s and Airbus A380s.
