Etihad Airways has launched a non-stop service to Sao Paulo, the airline's first destination in South America.
The route's inaugural flight left Abu Dhabi at 0830 on Sunday and touched down at Guarulhos International Airport at 1635 local time.
Etihad's service to the Brazilian city runs three times a week and is operated by an Airbus A340-500, seating a total of 240 passengers across three cabins – 12 in Diamond First, 28 in Pearl Business and 200 Coral Economy class seats.
Flight code EY191 leaves Abu Dhabi at 0830 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, arriving in Sao Paolo at 1635 local time after a 15-hour, 5-minute flight.
The return service - flight code EY190 - leaves Guarulhos International Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 1820 and arrives in Abu Dhabi at 1605 the following day after a 14-hour, 45-minute journey.
The new Sao Paolo service marks the national carrier's entry into its sixth continent.
Last month, Etihad and Air France announced new codeshare destinations in Africa, Asia, Australia and Europe for this summer (see online news, May 2).
For more information, visit etihad.com.
Report by Graham Smith