Etihad Airways is planning to launch direct flights to Los Angeles next year.
The Abu Dhabi-based carrier will begin non-stop daily services between to LAX from June 1, subject to securing regulatory approval.
The Californian city will be Etihad's fourth US destination – it already has daily services to Chicago, New York and Washington, DC.
Etihad will deploy a three cabin Boeing 777-200LR on the Los Angeles route. It will be configured to carry 237 passengers, with eight Diamond first class suites, 40 Pearl business flatbed seats, and 189 economy seats.
Flight EY171 will depart daily from Abu Dhabi at 08.45 and arrive in Los Angeles at 14.15 the same day. The return flight, EY170, will the depart LAX at 16.15 and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 19.35 the following day.
Etihad’s CEO James Hogan said: “The new service will also offer maximum connectivity, via Abu Dhabi, with 25 Etihad Airways destinations across the Middle East region and Indian subcontinent, 12 of which are in India, catering for the demand from Los Angeles' diverse and multicultural population.”
Etihad last month unveiled plans to more than triple the number of seats on its routes to Mumbai and New Delhi from November.
etihad.com