UAE- Etihad and Alitalia partnership is an important strategic decision for both companies says Italian ambassador

ABU DHABI 21st February 2016 (WAM) -- Liborio Stellino the Italian Ambassador to the UAE has said the partnership between Etihad Airways and Alitalia has created an integrated international network of air transportation with high capabilities linking all continents.

In a statement released today the Italian ambassador said that as a result of this partnership the number of travellers would increase by around 28.5 percent this year. Consequently the number of passengers travelling on Alitalia would rise to 45 million as per expectations in the aviation sector.

Stellino described Etihad Airways's 49 percent acquisition of Alitalia for AED 8.5 billion as "an important strategic decision for both companies" while pointing out that the trade exchange between the UAE and Italy had exceeded US$7 billion by the end of last year.

The ambassador went on to say that Italy considers the UAE as its most important market in the Middle East since it serves as a gateway for Italian companies and products to reach the Middle East and North Africa.

Some of the most prominent Italian exports to the UAE include jewellery furniture medical equipment food fashion products and the Italian luxury sports car Ferrari said Stellino.