BERLIN — German airline Lufthansa is launching a code-sharing agreement with Abu Dhabi-based Etihad — a key financial backer of troubled rival Air Berlin, from which Lufthansa will lease 38 aircraft for two of its subsidiaries.

Lufthansa said Friday that its LH code will be placed on Etihad flights between Abu Dhabi and Frankfurt and Munich starting in January. Etihad will use its EY code on Lufthansa flights between Frankfurt, Rio de Janeiro and Bogota.

In a separate agreement, Lufthansa’s Eurowings and Austrian Airlines units are to lease 38 planes from Air Berlin in a six-year deal set to start in February.

Etihad owns a 29 per cent stake in Air Berlin after stepping in to support the heavily indebted airline.