ETIHAD, designated as the national airline of the UAE, will introduce an initial three times weekly non-stop service between Heathrow and Abu Dhabi on 28 March. By mid-summer the three-class Airbus A330-200 operation will be daily.
Etihad was launched on 12 November 2003, initially with a pair of A330s flying to Beirut and Damascus. By the summer of 2004 the airline will be operating six Airbus to various Middle East cities, Kuala Lumper and Jakarta in the east, five Indian destinations and a further three European points plus London.
The airline says that it is aiming to set new standards for customer comfort and luxury by introducing the Gulf region's first premium economy class.
Etihad is an ambitious project combining the wealth of one of the world's highest per capita income states and European (mainly British) airline industry skills and experience.
http://www.etihadairways.com