Etihad Airways to Fly Non-Stop to New York from October 2006

From 26 October 2006, Etihad Airways is to expand its international network with daily flights to Terminal 4 at New York’s JFK airport.

New York is Etihad’s second North American destination, after Toronto, and is one of the most prestigious airports the Abu Dhabi-based airline can fly to.

Trade between the United States and the UAE amounted to $10 billion in 2005, making it the second-largest U.S. trading partner in the GCC behind Saudi Arabia. There are also more than 500 American companies in the UAE which are set to benefit from Etihad’s daily service.

Guests on the New York route will be able to enjoy the very best Etihad in-flight service on offer in the new purpose-built Airbus 340-500. The aircraft is configured with two aisles and can carry 240 Guests with 12 in Diamond, 28 in Pearl and 200 in the Coral zone.

Etihad's A340-500 aircraft is one of the airline’s first aircraft to offer the revolutionary Diamond zone seat which can rotate 180 degrees, enabling passengers to hold meetings, share group meals and converse with one another.

Each Diamond zone suite is also fitted with a privacy shell and features a six-way movement headrest with built-in massage facility. The seat also reclines into a comfortable 6 feet 8 inch flat bed at the touch of a button.

Flight EY 503 will depart Abu Dhabi International Airport every day at 14:15, arriving in New York at 21:25. The return flight EY 504, then departs at 23:10 arriving the next day in Abu Dhabi at 20:25.

The A340-500 also has a cargo capacity of 11 tonnes at full passenger load on this route, complete with heat adjustable and air conditioned aircraft holds.

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