Etihad has lost a court case in Germany over a codeshare agreement with airberlin on 31 flight routes. The court ruled that the routes were not covered under an air traffic rights agreement between Germany and the United Arab Emirates. Twenty-nine of the routes had previously been approved by the German transport ministry, but in August 2014 the ministry reversed its decision and argued that the routes were not covered by the traffic agreement, which allows UAE airlines to fly to four airports in Germany — not including Berlin, where airberlin is based.

Photo by airberlin

Etihad had won a temporary injunction back in October to continue operating codeshare flights with airberlin. At the time the Administrative Court of Braunschweig in Germany said the injunction provided Etihad and the governments of the UAE and Germany an opportunity to resolve their outstanding differences.

Etihad Airways said in a statement (see hereunder) that it plans to file an appeal. The airline also said it would continue to honour all previously booked itineraries.

__________________________________________