Etihad Airways is set to launch flights from Manchester to its UAE-hub next year.
The daily flights will launch in March 2006, with Eithad hoping to carry point-to-point traffic as well as taking passengers from Manchester onto Asia, including destinations such as Bangkok, Colombo, and New Delhi.
The northern city is the third UK departure airport for Eithad, which also operates flights from Heathrow and Gatwick to Abu Dhabi.
The airline will operate the route using Airbus A330 aircraft, configured in three classes, Diamond, Pearl and Coral, which equate to business class, premium economy and economy.
The only existing flights between Manchester and Abu Dhabi are operated via other destinations by Emirates, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways. Eithad has not yet released fares for the route.
The carrier currently operates to 19 destinations but hopes to expand this to 70 by 2010. Etihad has ordered five Boeing 777ER aircraft, which it will receive in January 2006, plus 12 Airbus 330s and 12 A340s, to arrive early next year, in addition to four of the Airbus "super jumbo" A380 aircraft, which are currently being used in test flights, and will be delivered in January 2008. For more information go to www.etihadairways.com
Report by Ginny McGrath
