Etihad Upgrades Winter Schedule

Etihad Airways Ramps Up Winter Schedule with New Destinations, More Flights, and Better Connections 

Etihad Airways: Poised for Expansion and Improved Global Connectivity 

Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, has rolled out a comprehensive network redesign, setting the airline on the path of sustained growth while enhancing its and Abu Dhabi’s global connectivity. 

This revamp aims to fuel visitor growth and provide travelers with more options by: 

• Introducing new destinations: Boosting capacity to highly sought-after international destinations, presenting opportunities for travelers to explore diverse cultures, and bringing more visitors directly to Abu Dhabi.
• Providing more options: Offering passengers increased travel flexibility with multiple and more convenient departure times, ensuring seamless and stress-free journeys.
• Increasing frequencies to key international markets: Augmenting flight frequencies to vital international destinations, fostering better accessibility, and reinforcing the emirate’s position as a hub for global travelers.

The upgraded schedules have been timed for departures from Abu Dhabi at 2 pm, allowing travelers and visitors to fully experience Abu Dhabi’s hotels and attractions until their checkout time. This approach enhances the overall travel experience while maximizing the enjoyment of Abu Dhabi’s offerings.

By introducing new destinations, increasing passenger numbers, and strengthening Etihad’s links to the world, this robust network overhaul connects influential and growing regions, providing more options and itineraries for travelers and enabling future growth with an immediate impact. 

“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,” stated 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 announced the launch of nine new destinations this year, including Malaga, Mykonos, Lisbon, Kolkata, Dusseldorf, Copenhagen, Osaka, and Boston. Moreover, the airline has recently unveiled two new routes to the Indian Subcontinent, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram, expected to commence in January 2024. These new additions exhibit Etihad’s unwavering commitment to expanding connectivity and providing travelers with more global options. 

Etihad has executed several recent network alterations and frequency enhancements to supplement these advancements to boost travel options and connectivity. Highlights include: 

• Improved Departure Times: Passenger convenience is enhanced with adjusted departure times for European and Asian destinations.
• Expanded Frequencies: Frequencies have been ramped up to Chennai (MAA), Islamabad (ISB), Kochi (COK), Madrid (MAD), Milan (MXP), Munich (MUC), Rome (FCO), and Phuket (HKT), providing travelers with more choices and improving travel options and connectivity.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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 to facilitate seamless cultural exchange and generate economic opportunities along its network routes across Asia and Europe.

Boosting Abu Dhabi’s Economic Growth

One of the primary objectives of the network is to serve as a crucial catalyst in fulfilling Abu Dhabi’s economic growth aspirations. The escalating connectivity is poised to endow Abu Dhabi with superior Point-to-Point options, thereby fortifying the city’s reputation as a significant business and tourism nexus, in addition to serving as a vantage point to the remainder of the UAE and the broader GCC region through the rest of the globe. 

Upon launching its overhauled network, Etihad embarks on a new growth chapter and connectivity, promising to deliver uninterrupted travel experiences, amplified connections, and versatility across its global network.

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