Abu dhabi: Etihad Airways and Hong Kong Airlines have launched a codeshare partnership and established a reciprocal loyalty agreement. The loyalty agreement was signed during an event in Hong Kong, coinciding with the arrival of Etihad's inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to Hong Kong International Airport. According to Emirates News Agency, Hong Kong Airlines flights between Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi are now bookable as Etihad 'EY' services. Travellers can fly Etihad to Japanese destinations including Fukuoka, Hokkaido-Sapporo, Osaka, and Okinawa on Hong Kong Airlines-operated flights under the 'HX' code. This allows for a seamless travel experience with one ticket for the entire journey, single check-in, and automatic baggage transfer. Abu Dhabi is positioned as a central hub connecting Greater China and Japan to the Middle East, Europe, and Africa. Once the programme is launched, members of Hong Kong Airlines' Fortune Wings Club and Etihad Guest will be able to enjoy reciprocal earn-and-redeem functionalities across both full networks. This builds on Etihad's existing partnership with Hainan Airlines and enables Fortune Wings Club members to collect and redeem on Etihad's newly launched Hong Kong service. With this addition, Etihad Guest stands out as the non-alliance loyalty programme with the largest airline partner portfolio worldwide. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, highlighted that the partnership delivers meaningful value to Etihad Guest members through full earn-and-redeem access across Hong Kong Airlines' network. He emphasized the codeshare connectivity to high-demand Japanese destinations, underscoring Etihad's commitment to providing guests with greater flexibility, broader reach, and superior rewards. Louis Li, Executive Vice President of Hong Kong Airlines, stated that the partnership marks an important milestone in Hong Kong Airlines' return to the international market. He added that the expansion of the codeshare and the launch of a reciprocal loyalty programme ben efit travellers from both airlines and lay the foundation for deepened commercial collaboration. Li also noted the strong partnership with Etihad Airways, established in 2014, which will boost trade, tourism, and connectivity between Hong Kong and the Middle East, offering greater convenience and value to travellers.