Etihad Cargo Strengthens Control Over Regional Freight Through New Codeshare Deal

Etihad Cargo is set to significantly expand its regional influence following the recent codeshare partnership between Etihad Airways and Greek regional carrier SKY express, announced on July 14, 2025. While the agreement primarily focuses on passenger connectivity by linking Etihad’s global network to 24 Greek island destinations and three additional Eastern Mediterranean cities via Athens, it also carries important implications for Etihad Cargo’s freight operations.

Under the codeshare deal, Etihad Airways places its code on SKY express-operated flights beyond Athens, thereby extending its reach into smaller, strategically important Greek and regional markets. This partnership enables Etihad Cargo to leverage daily connections to Greece’s islands and key Mediterranean cities, areas traditionally served by smaller or more localized cargo carriers. With SKY express’s young and modern fleet linking 33 domestic and 26 international destinations, Etihad Cargo gains enhanced feeder routes, which can facilitate smoother and wider cargo distribution through Etihad’s existing freighter network centered on Abu Dhabi and Athens.

From a logistics perspective, this means that shipments destined for or originating from Greek islands such as Crete, Rhodes, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, and Kos, among others, can be integrated more efficiently into Etihad Cargo’s broader airfreight services. The partnership likely encourages higher volumes of perishable goods, pharmaceuticals, and e-commerce parcels routed through Etihad’s hubs, as local exporters and importers tap into the improved cargo capacity and more frequent connections supported by this codeshare.

However, there are competitive considerations for Greece’s local air cargo operators and regional logistics providers. By extending Etihad Cargo’s operational footprint into these previously niche routes via SKY express, the partnership concentrates freight flows through a dominant global carrier. While Greek consumers and businesses may benefit from improved service reliability and broader international reach, some local players could face challenges competing against Etihad’s larger scale and integrated network advantages.

The expansion also positions Athens even more explicitly as a key gateway for cargo movement into and out of the Eastern Mediterranean, reinforcing Etihad’s strategy to develop Abu Dhabi as a global logistics hub connected by feeder flights. The synergistic pairing between Etihad’s wide-body freighters and SKY express’s regional fleet creates a more seamless transport chain, optimizing transit times and cargo handling efficiency.

This development follows recent strategic moves by Etihad Cargo, such as its joint venture with SF Airlines to enhance UAE-China trade connectivity and capacity, indicating a broader pattern of extending influence through alliances and network integrations across various markets.

While the partnership is presented as a win-win cooperation enhancing connectivity for passengers and freight alike, industry observers note that such arrangements often reshape regional cargo markets by consolidating traffic under transnational carriers, potentially reducing independent options for local shippers and freight forwarders.

The Etihad Airways–SKY express codeshare agreement expands Etihad Cargo’s reach into the Greek islands and Eastern Mediterranean, offering new cargo routing possibilities but also concentrating freight flow control within the Etihad Aviation Group’s integrated network. This trend underscores the evolving dynamics of air cargo logistics where strategic airline partnerships redefine regional market structures alongside passenger services.