Etihad goes to German court to protect its Airberlin codeshare

"The launch of legal action is also designed to help protect the German carrier’s 8000 employees and provide passengers with clarity and confidence. Etihad Airways owns 29.2 per cent of airberlin, Germany’s second-largest airline," Etihad said in a statement.

Etihad Airways said it couldn’t wait any longer for the German Government to make a decision on whether or not to approve Etihad’s codeshare on airberlin flights to 29 destinations in Europe, the US and the UAE and on which passengers have booked more than 82,000 journeys.

These flights cover the Winter 2015/16 schedule which is due to begin in just two days and covers the five months from 25 October until 31 March 2016.

"In the absence of any decision from German authorities – who have approved seven Etihad Airways schedules, including all of the codeshares with airberlin since 2012 – the airline was left with no alternative but to file a pre-emptive injunction with the Administrative Court of Braunschweig," the statement said.