16
August
2012
|
08:00
Australia/Brisbane

Etihad to launch daily Brisbane – Abu Dhabi services

Brisbane Airport Corporation (BAC) has welcomed today’s announcement by James Hogan, Etihad Airways President and Chief Executive Officer, that the airline will increase services between Brisbane and Abu Dhabi from three to seven per week from February 2013.

BAC CEO and Managing Director Julieanne Alroe said the importance of Brisbane Airport as the primary gateway to Queensland could not be over-estimated.

“Brisbane offers carriers the necessary market to support inbound and outbound business and leisure passengers,” Ms Alroe said.

“Additional services, such as a daily Etihad service, through Brisbane benefit all of Queensland.

“The new daily flights will boost capacity on the route by more than 130 per cent to 3,668 seats between Queensland and Abu Dhabi each week.

“Not only does this provide an alternative gateway to Europe for Queenslanders, more international visitors to Queensland will be able to fly direct to Brisbane, rather than through Sydney.

“The extra services will go a long way to providing the extra capacity required to realise 2012/13 growth in international travellers consistent with the 3.5 per cent average achieved in the last five years.

"We look forward to working with Etihad, the Queensland Government and the tourism industry to support these new services and to look for further opportunities to expand our network and increase Queensland’s connectivity with the world,” Ms Alroe said.

Etihad Airways, which first launched services to and from Brisbane in July 2007, is currently Brisbane Airport’s 16th largest international carrier; likely to move into the top 10 with the change to daily.