Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates, is set to increase its weekly flight frequency between Abu Dhabi and Kochi by introducing a new daily Airbus A320 service.
In a press statement, the airline says that starting October 29, the additional daily service will boost Abu Dhabi–Kochi to 20 flights per week, offering leisure and business travellers greater flexibility and better connectivity to one of South India’s most vibrant cities.
“In response to strong travel demand, Etihad is thrilled to offer an additional service to Kochi that will bring our operation up to nearly three flights a day. This is a testament to the importance of the India market for Etihad Airways and the focus we are putting on growing our network to provide more convenience and choice to our guests,” says Arik De, Chief Revenue Officer of the airline.
As well as improving access to the UAE, the flights will also enhance connectivity between India and the United States via Abu Dhabi, where travellers can take advantage of a ‘US Preclearance’ facility for a seamless arrival into the States
Etihad says that being the only one of its kind in the Middle East, the facility allows passengers bound for the United States to process all immigration, customs and agriculture inspections in Abu Dhabi before they board their flight, avoiding immigration and queues on arrival.
In addition to boosting flights to Kochi, the airline’s winter flight schedule will see Etihad Airways flying to seven other destinations in India including Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Hyderabad and Chennai, it says.