Abu Dhabi: Etihad Airways said on Tuesday it has launched non-stop daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Washington, D.C., marking the first direct air link between the two capital cities.
The carrier said in a statement that the new service to Washington Dulles International Airport is aimed at meeting strong demand for government and business travel, as well as growing demand for leisure trips between and beyond the cities.
“Government and corporate customers in both markets have given us strong indication that the Abu Dhabi-Washington route can support a daily service from day one,” James Hogan, President and Chief Executive Officer of Etihad Airways, said in a statement.
He added that the carrier will operate 3,360 seats per week between the two cities. “And already our forward bookings on the route are very encouraging in both directions.”
Hogan further said that Etihad Airways will open a $6.8 million premium lounge this week in Terminal A at Dulles Airport to cater to its Diamond First and Pearl Business Class passengers.
Washington, D.C. marks the fourth North American destination for the Abu Dhabi carrier after New York, Chicago and Toronto. To date, Etihad Airways has carried almost two million passengers between Abu Dhabi and North America, achieving 12.6 per cent growth in passenger numbers last year, it said in the statement.
