Flights en route Abu Dhabi -Baku launched
Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has announced the launch of a four times per week service linking Abu Dhabi to Baku.
The flights, which commence from October 1, 2015, will be operated using an Airbus A320 aircraft with 16 Business Class and 120 Economy Class seats, offering a total of 1,088 seats per week, the company reported.
Etihad Airways' President and Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said the launch of Etihad Airways' flights to Baku's Heydar Aliyev International Airport is consistent with the company strategy of targeting areas of strong growth in the fast-growing Caucasus region.
"The new flights will cater for the significant demand for business and leisure travel between Azerbaijan and the UAE, while also providing better access to Azerbaijan for hundreds of thousands of Azerbaijani diaspora, particularly those residing in North America.
"Business and leisure travelers out of Azerbaijan will have great opportunities to connect over our Abu Dhabi hub to destinations across the Gulf region, Indian Subcontinent, Asia and North America. Also, the new Abu Dhabi-Baku service will contribute to the development of trade and tourism in Azerbaijan and the UAE, enhancing the already strong ties between both countries," he said.
In 2012, trade turnover between the UAE and Azerbaijan totaled US$400 million, and there are currently more than 12,000 Azerbaijanis living in the UAE.
Etihad Airways began operations in 2003, and in 2013 carried 11.5 million passengers. From its Abu Dhabi base Etihad Airways flies to 110 existing or announced passenger and cargo destinations in the Middle East, Africa, Europe, Asia, Australia and the Americas.