ABU-DHABI based Etihad Airways has announced that it will operate a six flights-per-week service to the Malaysian capital, Kuala Lumpur from January 15.
According to executives at the Abu Dhabi-based airline, strength of demand for the new route indicates that it will have a significant impact in both the corporate and leisure sectors in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.
“This non-stop service between the UAE and Malaysian capitals is set to be one of our most popular, with a high volume of traffic direct from the Middle East, and also from European Guests looking to travel via Abu Dhabi to Malaysia on business or vacation,” said James Hogan, CEO, Etihad Airways.
The service will operate every day of the week except Sunday.
The airline will launch three weekly flights to Tehran on December 3, a move expected to be a big hit among over 400,000-strong Iranian community in the UAE.
E-TICKETING
Meanwhile, the airline, which recently launched flights to New York, has activated interline e-ticketing with Continental Airlines, the world’s fifth largest airline, serving 292 airports. The agreement offers passengers seamless travel to and beyond New York to key destinations including Chicago, Houston and Los Angeles.
This alliance signals the next step in Etihad’s fast roll out of e-ticketing across its international network as well as its aim of establishing interline e-ticketing in association with other strategic carriers. “The inauguration of our commercial e-ticketing operation on July 28 enabled Etihad to achieve the 100 percent levels required to meet the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Operational Safety Audit (IOSA), of which we are extremely proud,” said Geert W Boven, VP Commercial, Etihad Airways. “Looking ahead, by the end of November more than 80 percent of Etihad’s network will be available for e-ticketing, through both agents and direct sales, with a goal of 95 percent set for the end of the year.”