Etihad has already retreated from the so-called equity alliance strategy devised by former chief James Hogan, which saw it splurge cash on a clutch of struggling carriers, among which Air Berlin and Alitalia filed for insolvency last year.
Douglas said that he’s open to closer relations with Dubai-based Emirates, while adding that it is for the owners of the two carriers to decide whether they should in any way be brought together.
“There is a proximity, we are like-minded, on a personal level we get on extremely well, and where there is opportunity in a non-competing way to get mutual advantage, frankly why wouldn’t you? For us it would probably be looking to learn, as simple as that.”
Etihad last month posted a US$1.52 billion core airline loss for 2017, narrowing from US$1.95 billion a year earlier, when demand was hurt as the low price of crude weighed on oil-producing Gulf economies. Revenue improved 3.4 percent last year though passenger numbers were virtually static at 18.6 million.