In January, Etihad Airways and Lufthansa German
Airlines will begin codesharing on Etihad's routes between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt
and between Abu Dhabi and Munich, as well as Lufthansa's flights between
Frankfurt and Rio de Janeiro and between Frankfurt and Bogota, pending
regulatory approval. The carriers also announced that in February, the
Lufthansa Group will begin a six-year lease of aircraft from Airberlin, in
which Etihad Aviation Group holds a 29 percent stake. The lease covers 33 planes
used by Eurowings and five used by Austrian Airlines. The lease, under which
Airberlin will provide crew, maintenance and insurance at a cost to Lufthansa,
is part of a cost-cutting
restructuring Airberlin announced this year.