Etihad and TAROM open new connections in Eastern Europe | News
Etihad Airways and TAROM, the national carrier of Romania, have signed a codeshare agreement connecting Etihad’s global guests to Romania and Eastern Europe, and connecting travelers from Romania to Abu Dhabi, Etihad’s home base and the gateway to its global network. The agreement was signed during IATA’s annual general meeting in Rio de Janeiro.
The partnership will allow Etihad guests to book one ticket on TAROM flights from Bucharest to six cities in Romania: Baia Mare, Cluj-Napoca, Iasi, Oradea, Suceava and Timisoara. The codeshare also extends to four Eastern European capitals: Belgrade, Budapest, Chisinau and Sofia. Guests from Romania can in turn reach Abu Dhabi from Bucharest with Etihad’s new service.
The codeshare will support the launch of Etihad’s new Abu Dhabi-Bucharest service on December 17, 2026. Once the new service launches, guests will be able to travel between Bucharest and destinations within the Etihad network on a single ticket, with luggage checked in to the final stop.
Romania is one of Eastern Europe’s fastest growing economies and an emerging travel destination, drawing visitors to the medieval cities of Transylvania, the Carpathians and the Danube Delta. The codeshare gives Etihad guests a single connection to Bucharest and the wider region.
For travelers from Romania, the codeshare opens a new connection to Abu Dhabi, home to the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the museums of the Saadiyat Cultural District and the beaches and resorts of the Arabian Gulf. From the UAE capital, guests can travel with Etihad to destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Arik De, Chief Revenue & Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “TAROM gives Etihad real depth in Eastern Europe: a national carrier shaped by more than seventy years of European aviation, and an established network spanning the entire country and the wider region. By launching this codeshare ahead of our own Bucharest service, we are entering a fast-growing market with real scale from day one.”
Mircea Nicolae Cotoros, Chief Commercial Officer of TAROM, said: “This codeshare with Etihad Airways extends TAROM’s international reach and gives passengers a new connection between Bucharest and Abu Dhabi. It strengthens the link between Romania and the Middle East, supporting the continued growth of our network and promoting cultural and economic exchanges.”
With the addition of TAROM, Etihad’s partner network now includes 47 codeshare and more than 130 interline partners, the largest of any non-alliance airline, giving guests single-ticket access to more than 350 destinations worldwide.
Bookings are available from today on etihad.com.
