18 Nov 2013 08:00
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will increase its Abu Dhabi-Munich services from seven flights per week to a double daily schedule from 1 February 2014.
Munich was
Etihad Airways’ first destination in Germany, and a daily flight linking the
Bavarian capital with Etihad Airways’ Abu Dhabi hub commenced in June 2004.
Since then,the
airline has carried over one million passengers between the two cities.
James
Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “Munich, Germany’s third biggest city, has
been one of our most successful European destinationsbecause it retains very strong
volumes of business and leisure passengersthroughout the year.
“This
doubling of capacity is about servingthe growing bi-directional demand, adding
depth and scale to our German operations, and facilitating better connections
with equity partner airberlin.
“The new
schedule means that Etihad Airways and airberlin will together offer a combined
49 weekly services from four cities in Germany – Munich, Frankfurt, Berlin and
Dusseldorf – to Abu Dhabi.
“From
across our network the new double daily schedule will offer customers more
convenient travel optionsto Germany and Europe, and in the other direction, additional
connections over Abu Dhabi to destinations across the GCC, the Indian subcontinent,
Africa, Asia, and Australia.”
Munich-based
passengers will be able to choose from new daily connections to markets such as
the Maldives, Seychelles, Johannesburg, Beijing, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore, Ho
Chi Minh City, and Melbourne.
In
addition, beyond Munich, Etihad Airways will be able to offer additional codeshare
connections on a number of airberlin flights across Germany and continental
Europe.
The new
flight schedule provides customers with a choice of conveniently timed daytime
or overnight services between Munich Airport’s Terminal 1 and Abu Dhabi.
Etihad
Airways will operate the updated schedule using a three-class Airbus A330-300
aircraft, configured with 8 seats in Diamond First Class, 32 in Pearl Business Class
and 191 in Coral Economy Class.
Germany
represents what is Europe’s largest outbound travel market, whilst also being
one of Europe’s most visited countries.