Etihad Aviation Group PJSC

08/09/2023 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 08/09/2023 03:22

Etihad Airways ramps up winter schedule with new destinations, more flights and better connections

  • Enables future growth with an immediate impact by adding new destinations and increasing inbound travellers to Abu Dhabi
  • Strengthens Abu Dhabi's links to the world, providing more options and itineraries for residents and visitors
  • Connects influential and growing regions to Abu Dhabi and beyond

ABU DHABI, UAE - Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has unveiled an ambitious network overhaul, positioning the airline for sustainable expansion while improving Abu Dhabi's links to global markets.

The new network is designed to support Abu Dhabi visitor growth and provide travellers with more options by:

Introducing new destinations: Ramping up capacity to sought-after international destinations, providing opportunities for travellers to explore and experience diverse cultures, while bringing more visitors directly to Abu Dhabi.

Provide more options: Provide passengers with enhanced travel flexibility with multiple and more convenient departure times, ensuring seamless and stress-free journeys.

Increase frequencies to key international markets: To support Abu Dhabi's economic and tourism growth, Etihad is increasing flight frequencies to essential international destinations, fostering improved accessibility and strengthening the emirate's position as a hub for global travellers.

The updated schedules have been timed for departures from Abu Dhabi at 2 pm, ensuring travelers and visitors can thoroughly experience Abu Dhabi's hotels and attractions until their checkout time. This approach enhances the overall travel experience while maximising the enjoyment of Abu Dhabi's offerings.

"As we embark on Etihad's next chapter targeting growth, our ambitious network and improved connectivity allows us to better serve Abu Dhabi and our valued guests, forming the basis of our future expansion while providing flexibility and freedom to adapt to new opportunities and markets," said Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways.

"By offering more travel options and seamless connections, we aim to attract an increasing number of visitors to Abu Dhabi, propelling economic growth for the city while enriching the travel experience for our passengers."

Network Updates

Etihad has already announced the launch of nine new destinations this year, including Malaga, Mykonos, Lisbon, Kolkata, St Petersburg, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Osaka, and Boston. In addition, the airline this week published two new routes to the Indian Subcontinent, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, to be launched in January 2024. These new destinations showcase Etihad's dedication to expanding connectivity and providing travellers with more options globally.

To complement these developments, Etihad has made several recent network changes and frequency adds to enhance travel options and connectivity. Highlights include:

  • Improved Departure Times: Enhanced passenger convenience with adjusted departure times for European and Asian destinations.
  • Expanded Frequencies: Increased frequencies to Chennai (MAA), Islamabad (ISB), Kochi (COK), Madrid (MAD), Milan (MXP), Munich (MUC), Rome (FCO), and Phuket (HKT) offer travelers more choices while improving travel options and connectivity.

o Cairo (CAI): An additional 5 flights per week to make triple daily operations to Cairo, effective from 1 Jan, strengthening the link between Abu Dhabi and the Egyptian capital.

o Colombo (CMB): 7 direct flights per week with 3 flights effective from 1 Dec and 4 flights effective from 1 Jan, further enhancing travel options to this destination.

o Maldives (MLE): An additional 7 flights per week, with 3 flights effective from 1 Dec and 4 flights effective from 1 Jan

The updated network leverages Etihad's geographic advantage as a facilitator for seamless cultural exchange and developing economic opportunities along its network routes across Asia and Europe.

Boosting Abu Dhabi's Economic Growth

A priority of the network is to play a vital role in supporting Abu Dhabi's ambitions for economic growth. As connectivity increases, Abu Dhabi will benefit from improved Point-to-Point options, solidifying the city's status as a prominent hub for business and tourism, as well as a gateway to the rest of the UAE and wider GCC to the rest of the world.

With the launch of its revamped network, Etihad is entering a new phase of growth and connectivity to provide seamless travel experiences, enhanced connections, and flexibility across its global network.

Destinations Change Total Frequency Start Date

Dusseldorf

New route

3 per week

28 September 2023

Copenhagen

New route

4 per week

29 September 2023

Osaka

New route

5 per week

1 October 2023

Lisbon

Extended year-round

3 per week

29 October 2023

St Petersburg

New route

3 per week

29 October 2023

Kozhikode

New route

7 per week

1 January 2024

Thiruvananthapuram

New route

7 per week

1 January 2024

Boston

New route

4 per week

31 March 2024

Chennai

+7 per week

21 per week

15 September 2023

Frankfurt

+4 per week

11 per week

29 October 2023

Rome

+4 per week

11 per week

4 November 2023

Amsterdam

Retimed

7 per week

21 November 2023

Kochi

+8 per week

21 per week

21 November 2023

Madrid

+3 per week

10 per week

21 November 2023

Milan

+3 per week

10 per week

21 November 2023

Munich

+3 per week

10 per week

21 November 2023

Phuket

+7 per week

14 per week

21 November 2023

Moscow

Retimed

7 per week

1 December 2023

Cairo

+5 per week

21 per week

1 January 2024

Colombo

7 direct per week

7 per week

1 January 2024

Islamabad

+2 per week

14 per week

1 January 2024

Maldives (Male)

+7 per week

14 per week

1 January 2024