Etihad Regional appears from Darwin Airline

It seems Etihad’s spending spree is continuing, with the purchase of not aircraft, but 33.3% of an airline this time.

Eithad has purchased 33.3% of Darwin Airline, and in the process is to re-brand the airline as Etihad Regional – the idea being that the regional services will funnel into airports where Etihad has a  major presence and critical times to allow connection to the Middle East and beyond.

According to the airline, it is planning the following:

• In April 2014, Darwin Airline will launch nine new routes, from Dusseldorf to Berlin, Cambridge and London City; from Berlin to Poznan and Wroclaw; from Geneva to Toulouse; from Zurich to Leipzig; and from Rome to Tirana and Zagreb.
• In May 2014, it will start flights from from Zurich to Geneva, Florence and Turin; and from Geneva to Belgrade.
• In June 2014, it will launch flights from Zurich to Linz, Graz, Verona and Lyon; and from Geneva to Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes and Verona.

This represents 21 new routes and 18 new destinations.

Currently, Darwin Airline operates a fleet of 10 Saab 2000 Series Turboprop aircraft, which will be repainted into Etihad Regional’s new paint job.

Image – Etihad via Twitterfeed

Flights will continue to operate under Darwin Airlines F7 flight code.

It seems Darwin Airline’s strategy of trying out Cambridge as a base has helped it as it offers regional connections that FlyBe missed out on, as well as the larger UK airlines and Low Cost Carriers. It’s also targeting the higher income regions as well, whilst offering an alternative from getting up and wandering down to their major airport to catch a plane.

Etihad calls this a step change with the CEO Stating:

“This is a step-change for Etihad Airways.  With our new partner Darwin Airline, we are creating a unique approach to network development for global airlines.

European travellers will now be able to connect from a far, far wider range of European towns and cities on Etihad-branded aircraft, through Abu Dhabi to our destinations worldwide.”

Apart from the question of two stops on a journey (when some people don’t even like one stop), this has possibilities in picking up regional traffic. How this plays out in the real world will be interesting to see – as well as the loads of those regional flights with connecting loads.

Want to keep up with me at GhettoIFE? Join me either by signing up for my newsletter, or follow me on Twitter @GhettoIFE for when there are posts to the blog!