Etihad buys 33.3% stake in Swiss carrier Darwin

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad announced on Sunday it is acquiring a 33.3 percent stake in Swiss carrier Darwin Airline which plans to rebrand as Etihad Regional.

The acquisition will be completed after the deal receives regulatory approval, the two companies said at the Dubai Airshow.

Following completion of the deal, Darwin will rebrand as Etihad Regional and realign to connect passengers from secondary European cities with Etihad’s main network, they said.

Darwin Airline serves secondary European markets from its Geneva hub, flying 10 50-seat Saab 2000 turboprop aircraft.

Etihad holds equity investments in several airlines, including 29 percent in airberlin, 40 percent in Air Seychelles, 19.9 percent in Virgin Australia and three percent in Air Lingus.

It has also received regulatory approval to acquire 24 percent of India’s Jet Airways, and will acquire 49 percent of Air Serbia from January 2014.