Etihad Airways to Launch Chengdu Flights

Etihad Airways is to launch flights to Chengdu in southwest China from 15 December 2011 – subject to government approval.

Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province and the airline’s 69th destination, will be connected to the airline’s hub and home base in Abu Dhabi by four non-stop return services per week.

Etihad will operate an Airbus A330-200 aircraft in a two-class configuration on the sector – offering 22 Pearl Business class and 240 Coral Economy class seats.

“The new Chengdu services will connect the UAE with the economic centre and transportation and communication hub of China’s booming southwest region,” said Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan. “This will further stimulate the growth of commerce and trade between the UAE and China, already the UAE’s third largest trading partner. It will also provide a new, more convenient gateway into southwest China for business and leisure travellers from Europe and the Middle East and a faster, new route to Europe and the Middle East for the rapidly growing Chinese outbound travel market. With the purchasing power of the Chinese consumer rising in synch with annual GDP growth of 7.5% to 2030, the Chinese travel market has enormous latent potential. The new service will position Etihad strongly to grow its services to daily and beyond.”

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