Etihad airline plans to spread its wings in Doha
THE UAE national carrier Etihad Airways plans to operate double daily service to Doha from Abu Dhabi even as the airline’s first flight will touch down in the Qatari capital on June 18.
Initially, there will be six weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Doha using a Boeing 767-300 aircraft, Etihad regional general manager (Middle East and North Africa) Ian Lovelock said at a press conference yesterday. There will be no Etihad service between the two cities on Tuesdays.
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The aircraft can accommodate up to 196 passengers in a three class configuration of diamond (10 seats), pearl (36) and coral (150).It can also hold up to 12 tonnes of cargo with full passenger load.
The Etihad flight EY705 will depart Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) at 9.30pm and reach here at 9.30pm (both local time). The return flights (EY706) depart Doha at 10.30pm and reach Abu Dhabi at 12.30am.
Lovelock said Etihad would have interline agreement with some 170 airlines worldwide. The UAE national carrier would also have code share agreement with two airlines – SN Brussels and BMI (UK).
“We will be closely functioning with Qatar Airways and are hopeful our Doha services will be highly successful,” he said.
The new service links up two of the energy powerhouses in the region and provides further economic impetus to both development-focused cities, Lovelock said.
“This service will quickly become one of the most popular shuttles in the Gulf. The convenience of this schedule means that our passengers can do a full day’s work in their resident countries, take one of the night flights to either city and be fresh for business the next morning,” he said.
Lovelock said the airline would fly to New York, Jeddah and Kuwait though the operation schedule had not been finalised as yet. The airline is in talks with Indian civil aviation authorities for bilateral agreements for flights to Kozhikode, Thiruvanantha-puram and Kochi in southern India.
“Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi are definitely among our plans,” he said.
Hussam al-Aseeri, Etihad’s general manager (Northern Gulf) said, “These are exciting times for Qatar and everybody is watching the country’s development closely. The arrival of the world’s leading new airline will undoubtedly further raise the country’s profile.”
In a statement issued in connection with the launching of the Doha service, Etihad Airways chairman Dr Sheikh Ahmed bin Saif al-Nahyan said, “We are delighted to start services to Doha next week. Abu Dhabi and Doha are premier business cities in the region and rapidly developing into key leisure destinations too. The new service will drive growth in both sectors.”
Etihad Airways currently flights to more than 40 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. By March 2008 the airline’s fleet size will reach 32 aircraft including two Airbus superjumbos. The airline offers luxury coach service for coral zone passengers to Al Ain and Dubai whereas passengers in higher classes (diamond and pearl) will be offered chauffer driven cars to their destination.
The airline has its own office in Qatar. Etihad Airways manager Raza Khan was also present at the press conference held at the Ritz Carlton.