Aer Lingus has agreed a deal with Dubai-based airline Emirates that will allow the two carriers to feed traffic into each other's networks.

In 2006 Aer Lingus is scheduled to start a new direct service to Dubai from Dublin. In recent days Aer Lingus executives agreed a deal with Emirates to allow Aer Lingus passengers to access the wider Emirates network from Dubai, including Australia.

The deal will allow Aer Lingus to sell joint tickets involving the Dubai route, plus additional destinations served by Emirates. Emirates passengers will be encouraged to fly to Dublin with Aer Lingus.

Aer Lingus is hoping that access to the wider Emirates network will help boost load factors on the Dubai route and in time could translate into higher frequencies. Aer Lingus chief executive Dermot Mannion was previously president of group support services for Emirates.

Meanwhile, yesterday Aer Lingus announced it would be adding six new European routes from Cork and Dublin. From June 2006, the airline will add routes to Berlin, Birmingham and Tenerife from Cork, and to Poznan, Palma and Rennes from Dublin.