Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, on Wednesday commenced daily non-stop flights between Abu Dhabi and Phuket, the airline’s second destination in Thailand.
The inaugural flight, EY430, departed Abu Dhabi International Airport at 8:40am local time and touched down at 6pm at Phuket International Airport where it was welcomed by a water cannon salute, a gathering of dignitaries and airline representatives, and a performance by traditional Thai dancers, said a press release.
Situated off the west coast of Thailand in the tranquil Andaman Sea, Phuket is one of Thailand’s southern-most provinces and the largest island in the Kingdom. Its pristine natural beaches, plethora of resorts, and year-round sunshine make it a top-ranking destination for holidaymakers the world over.
James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said: “The new Phuket route is a natural expansion of our Thai network and a strong addition to our portfolio of leisure destinations, such as the Seychelles, Maldives and Sri Lanka.”
Holidaymakers from the UAE and GCC as well as from key European markets including London, Milan, Munich and Paris will now have enhanced travel options to the island destination and enjoy Etihad Airways’ award-winning service along the way, he added.
Connections to Phuket from Berlin, Düsseldorf, Rome and Belgrade are also available with Etihad Airways’ European partners, airberlin, Alitalia and Air Serbia.
Phuket is one of the 10 new routes launched or to be launched by Etihad Airways in 2014. Others included Medina on February 1; Jaipur on April 1; Los Angeles and Zurich on June 1; Yerevan on July 2; and Rome and Perth on July 15.
These will be followed by San Francisco on November 18 and Dallas on December 3. Phuket is also the airline’s seventh destination in South East Asia alongside Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City, Jakarta,Kuala Lumpur, Manila and Singapore.
A two-class Airbus A330-200 aircraft operates the Abu Dhabi-Phuket sector with 22 seats in Business Class and 240 seats in Economy Class.
Source: UNB
