Etihad to switch Moscow airport after Aeroflot code-share

Etihad Airways (EY, Abu Dhabi Int’l) has announced it will move its services to Moscow from Moscow Domodedovo to Moscow Sheremetyevo from December 2, 2021, to facilitate connections with the airline’s new codeshare partner Aeroflot (SU, Moscow Sheremetyevo).

The Emirati carrier currently operates to Domodedovo 3x weekly using B787-9s, the ch-aviation schedules module shows. It will increase the frequency to 4x weekly as of November 8 and, after the move to Sheremetyevo, will fly to the Russian capital daily starting in December. Once the route goes daily, the carrier will deploy a mix of B787-9s and A321-200s.

Aeroflot plans to launch 3x weekly B737-800 services from Sheremetyevo to Abu Dhabi on November 13. The Russian carrier also operates 2x daily to Dubai Int’l and 2x weekly to Sharjah.

The two airlines currently have an interline agreement but said that subject to the necessary regulatory agreements, they would broaden the partnership and upgrade it to a codeshare. They will also “explore other areas of cooperation to enhance guest benefits, such as frequent flyer reciprocity and premium customer handling”, as well as seek synergies in operations.