We’ve heard rumors and rumblings for years that Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways will be joining Star Alliance. Will this finally be the week or are we just being teased once again?
Etihad Hints It Will Join Star Alliance, But Will It?
Something big is going on at Etihad Airways…at least that is what it would like us to think. On Facebook, a video of a desert night sky is captioned:
We trust the stars to define our journey. A new constellation will soon adorn the skies. #Comingsoon 19.10.2022
That’s odd, considering the country is officially Islamic and Islam is not an astrological faith…
The same post appeared on Instagram:
View this post on Instagram
The carrier also flew my friend Zach Honig (formerly of The Points Guy, now with Cardless) to Abu Dhabi this week and put him up at the Park Hyatt hotel.
There’s certainly going to be a big announcement on Wednesday, but what will it be?
Based upon the clues, it certainly seems like Etihad will be joining Star Alliance.
Indeed, for years we’ve heard that rumor. I last wrote about it in 2019 and note at the time I was told by a very knowledgeable source within Star Alliance that Etihad would be joining Star.
> Read More: Will Etihad Partner With United And Join Star Alliance?
Then something happened…it is not clear what (likely one carrier vetoed the move)…and Etihad never joined.
Now we have this tease again…which to me is either Etihad trolling us or Etihad actually finally joining Star Alliance.
I find it unlikely Etihad would assemble influencers and offer social media teases for a new terminal opening or even the return of the Airbus A380.
How Does This Impact United + Emirates?
If Etihad does join Star Alliance, the timing would certainly be interesting, as Emirates and United have just announced a closer partnership. On the one hand, as alliances have waned in strength over the last several years, this is no longer a deal-breaker. Air Canada, for example, already partners with both Etihad and Emirates.
I do think United and Emirates will pursue a closer relationship no matter what Etihad announces and therefore this move will not move the needle.
CONCLUSION
Etihad is on the verge of a big announcement on Wednesday. Its clues suggest it is joining Star Alliance, but the carrier has teased this before so it is really anyone’s guess at this point.
image: Etihad
Who told you Islam doesn’t trust star?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_astrology
“Etihad Always” = Etihad Airways?
Just kinda out there, but EY could possibly be using this as a means to test public reaction towards them joining *A.
I wouldn’t be shocked if EK suddenly terminates the agreements with AC, UA and other *A carriers if EY joins.
“That’s odd, considering the country is officially Islamic and Islam does not trust the stars…”
Alcohol and pork are forbidden but you can purchase both of them in the country. And can drink alcohol on the country’s airlines.
I don’t understand the comment about Islam and the stars.
I am pretty sure that they even have a Quranic or Hadith saying about the Juedo-Christian-Islamic God having created the stars so that humanity can use them to navigate in the deep darkness too.
If you meant to say that orthodox Sunni Muslim tradition is against astrology — distinct from astronomy — then that is a different thing on whether to trust the stars or not.
I was referring to astrology, not astronomy.
The stars may guide, but they are not be trusted. Only الله is.
Surah Al-An’am, (6:97): And He it is who created the stars so that you use them. To navigate in the depths of darkness
Astronomy and reading the stars to find Qibla and for other navigational purposes is actually very close to the heart of Islam. Islam very much is about trusting the natural sciences and that the natural universe is to be studied and scientific findings to be accepted as “God’s plan” to help humanity progress. While Muslims believe a lot of mythical type stuff in much the same way as followers do all other major religious traditions, one thing Islam does more than some other religions is to put science/scientific discovery and the natural universe up on a pedestal as a gift of the divine creator in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic tradition.
Poor SkyTeam. Stuck with Saudia while *A grabs all the remaining ME carriers, if this actually happens.
Ha! I just made a similar-ish comment to my partner. He’s a Delta whore/fanboy but isn’t an avgeek like I am (or like we all are on these blogs) and we’re planning a trip to SEA via the ME. And he wanted to know if we should use some of his 600K+ SkyPesos. And I said, “On what? Saudia? No. That’s gross.”
Etihad really just has one daily global bank of flights, they’re really a shell of their former self. I quite like the airline, but I’m not sure what they stand to gain from joining. Hopefully they aren’t forced to terminate their partnership with AA, because Etihad is a much better deal on AAdvantage miles than it’s going to be on MileagePlus miles.
Stars are in the sky. Who says that it can’t be a clue that Etihad is joining SkyTeam? This is more logical than them joining *A.
It’s not a bad theory.
Doesn’t make too much sense for them to be joining Star when EK have just announced partnerships with UA, AC and A3 (who don’t tend to work with airlines outside of *A but have been a partner of EY in the past), unless of course the UAE has a plan to merge the two carriers.
I wish Etihad would join *A more than any other airline but just as Lufthansa pulled the plug on Qatar at the last minute it’s difficult to see how they won’t do the same to Etihad. Equally on the other side of the gulf, Singapore will be none too enthusiastic because Etihad leaves them standing as a premium carrier. Etihad delivers while Singapore trades on past glory.