Etihad hope to start services to Chengdu

Etihad Airways has announced it will commence services to Chengdu in southwest China from December 15, 2011 - subject to government approval.

Chengdu , the capital of Sichuan province will be connected to the airline’s hub and home base in Abu Dhabi by four non-stop return services per week.

Chief executive officer James Hogan said the airline’s new Abu Dhabi-Chengdu service would provide the first ever flight link between the United Arab Emirates and Sichuan province.

Hogan added: “The new Chengdu services will connect the UAE with the economic centre and transportation and communication hub of China’s booming southwest region. This will further stimulate the growth of commerce and trade between the UAE and China, already the UAE’s third largest trading partner.

“It will also provide a new, more convenient gateway into southwest China for business and leisure travellers from Europe and the Middle East and a faster, new route to Europe and the Middle East for the rapidly growing Chinese outbound travel market.

“With the purchasing power of the Chinese consumer rising in synch with annual GDP growth of 7.5 per cent to 2030, the Chinese travel market has enormous latent potential. The new service will position Etihad strongly to grow its services to daily and beyond.”

While in Chengdu for the announcement, Hogan met municipal government and airport representatives and discussed opportunities for continuing business and cultural exchange between China and the UAE.

“We will continue to work together to strengthen ties between the UAE and China and help forge strong, new links between the communities at both ends of the route,” said Hogan.