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Etihad Airways Commences Services to Japan

ABU DHABI — Etihad Airways commenced operations to Japan on Tuesday with the launch of its Nagoya-Abu Dhabi service.

Etihad will initially fly four times a week to Nagoya, via Beijing, increasing to five flights a week from March 29, operating two-class Airbus A330 aircraft on the route, according to a release received here from the Abu Dhabi-based airline. The flight to Nagoya will have 240 seats in Coral Economy Class. A spokesperson for Etihad told Khaleej Times that with the launch of services to Nagoya the airline will be operating to serving 61 destinations 
 including Abu Dhabi.

The airline will expand its Japan operations with the launch of Abu Dhabi-Tokyo services on 27 March, the release disclosed. Etihad had launched services to Colombo earlier this year, and with the commencing of services to Nagoya and Tokyo the airline will be completing the list of three new destinations it had planned for this year.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways chief executive officer, had also announced earlier that the airline will receive three new aircraft in 2010 pushing up its fleet strength to 55. All the three new aircrafts will be from Airbus and two of them will passenger aircraft and the third will be a cargo plane, Mr Hogan had told journalists here earlier.

“These new services, our first to Japan, are very important to Etihad. We believe the connection between Abu Dhabi and Nagoya will offer opportunities to grow tourism, as well as foster commercial growth and benefit key industries - particularly energy, environmental services and manufacturing, for which Nagoya is becoming a centre of excellence,” the release said quoting Mr Hogan.

With the addition of Nagoya and Tokyo to its network, Etihad offers services to eight destinations in the Far East including Beijing, Jakarta, Manila, Singapore, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

In addition to its own operations, Etihad will also offer codeshare services with Japan’s ANA from March 1, offering connections for its passengers from Nagoya to Chitose and Fukuoka and through Tokyo’s Narita Airport to Osaka. The ANA passengers, will get connections to Etihad’s worldwide network via its Abu Dhabi hub.

ramavarman@khaleejtimes.com