Gallery: Etihad Takes Off For Vienna

Etihad flight EY147 departed Abu Dhabi International Airport the morning of July 18 and landed in Vienna Airport later that morning, where it was welcomed by a traditional water cannon salute.

Etihad Airways cabin crew welcome passengers onto the first Etihad Airways service to Vienna on July 18, 2021. The new service operates on Thursdays and Sundays using a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, configured with 28 seats in business and 262 seats in economy, entertainment systems, in-seat power, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity.

Pictured: Captain Abdulla Saleh and First Officer Hasan Al Ameri. All of the pilots and cabin crew on the flight to Vienna were vaccinated against COVID-19. Etihad said it was the first airline in the world to have 100% of all operating flight crew vaccinated against the coronavirus and the first to require 100% of passengers to present a negative PCR test before departure.

Vienna Airport joint CEO and COO Julian Jäger said, “The United Arab Emirates ... is an important market for Austrian tourism, and the new flight connection is a good sign that things are slowly picking up again.”

Travelers from the UAE who have received all vaccination doses for full immunization at least 14 days before arrival, including Sinopharm and Pfizer, currently do not have to quarantine in Austria or Abu Dhabi, where Austria is on the green list.

Captain Abdulla Saleh and First Officer Hasan Al Ameri celebrate the launch of Etihad’s 65th passenger destination before takeoff.

Central and Eastern European carrier Wizz Air will be giving Etihad some competition as it earlier this year set up a new subsidiary based at Abu Dhabi International Airport, called Wizz Air Abu Dhabi, and began operations to Athens in January 2021. The airline—a joint venture with state-owned ADQ and Wizz Air Holdings—previously announced its initial route network would include launching six destinations from its Abu Dhabi base.