DUBAI — Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, announced on Wednesday it will boost frequency and capacity to Athens and Larnaca, adding depth to its expanding network, while enhancing connectivity over its Abu Dhabi hub. “These increases in frequency and capacity demonstrate our commitment to build a global, connected network,” said Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways Chief Commercial Officer, after the announcement. “In the case of Athens, our new flights will offer guests the choice of two different departure times to and from Abu Dhabi, and in the case of Larnaca, the additional flights will provide more choice and flexibility, as well as better connectivity over Abu Dhabi. “The additional services will also support the growth of business and leisure traffic over Abu Dhabi, and offer travelers greater choice of destinations across the Gulf region, Indian subcontinent, Asia and Australia. “It also means that by July 2014, nearly 90 per cent of Etihad Airways' global passenger network will be served by a daily flight,” he said. From July 2, Etihad Airways will increase frequency on the Abu Dhabi-Athens route from seven to 10 flights per week with the introduction of three new flights, which will provide passengers travelling to and from Athens with more choice and greater flexibility. The new flights will also provide additional connecting opportunities with codeshare partner Aegean Airlines, which has separately announced that it will be commencing a direct service between Athens and Abu Dhabi from 28 May 2014. – SG
