Abu Dhabi based airline Etihad Airways has just signed a new code sharing agreement that will mean its customers can now fly to a range of airports within the U.K. The deal with Flybe, one of Europe’s largest regional airlines, will enable Etihad customers to access thirty-five regional airports along with Manchester, Paris and Frankfurt. In return the code sharing agreement will give passengers from the U.K greater access to Etihad’s ever expanding network throughout the world.

The new agreement will see Etihad expand its reach from London and Manchester to cities such as Belfast, Birmingham and Southampton. Chief commercial officer at Etihad, Peter Baumgartner said that the airline is extremely keen to expand its services in the U.K. and across Europe and that Flybe is the perfect partner with which to do so. He went on to say that the new deal would give U.K. travelers much greater access to Etihad’s established network.

Chief commercial officer at Flybe, Mike Rutter said that the new agreement would greatly benefit both airlines. He went on to say that working with a highly respected airline such as Etihad would enable Flybe to access a completely new market. He also said that the airline would be able to do this whilst at the same time providing its leisure and business customers with the same superb service they have always been used to.

Etihad Airways currently has code sharing agreements with a number of the world’s most respected airlines including Qantas, Sri Lankan Airlines and Bangkok Airways.