Etihad deepens search for partners

Etihad Airways plans to intensify its strategy of growing passenger numbers via tie-ups with other carriers, bucking the go-it-alone stance of Gulf rival Emirates, Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said in an interview. The third-largest Middle Eastern airline views signing deals and taking stakes in smaller operators serving key markets as a vital complement to spending money on planes as it builds Abu Dhabi into a hub for inter-continental travel, Hogan said. Emirates, has codeshare accords with nine carriers and no foreign holdings, while Etihad has 35 partners and is spending $400m on stakes in Air Berlin Plc (AB1) and Air Seychelles Ltd.