Etihad adds 4th flight on Kozhikode-Abu Dhabi route

Mumbai: The Gulf carrier Etihad Airways Wednesday expanded its services to Kerala with the launch of an additional flight on the Kozhikode-Abu Dhabi route.

Etihad Airways, which is strategic investment partner in Naresh Goyals Jet Airways, will now fly four times a day to the South Indian city from its Abu Dhabi hub, the airline said in a statement.

The additional services provides passengers convenient connections to a host of international destinations, including London, New York and Chicago, among others, it said.

The UAEs national carrier operates flights from Abu Dhabi to three cities in Kerala -- Kochi, Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram.

"With our multi-frequency scheduled flights to and from Kerala, Etihad Airways...we have been able to bring the world closer to this state and connect the people of Kerala to destinations in the Gulf, including our Abu Dhabi home, which has also been the base for thriving ventures by Kerala business houses," Etihad Airways vice president for India subcontinent Neerja Bhatia said.

With the introduction of new service, Etihad Airways now operates a total of 63 flights per week to these three cities.

"This represents over 30 per cent of Etihad Airways? frequencies from across 11 Indian cities it serves," the statement said.

In addition, Etihads partner airline Jet Airways also operates seven flights a week from Kochi to Abu Dhabi.

Apart from four flights a day to Kozhikode, the Gulf carrier also flies three times daily to Kochi and a double daily to Thiruvananthapuram with a mix of Airbus 320 and A321 aircraft in two class configuration -- Business (16 seats) and economy with 158 seats, the airline said.

In the current year, Jet Airways plans to launch flights from Kannur and Chandigarh to Abu Dhabi, subject to appropriate regulatory approvals and completion of operational readiness at these airports, it said.

The two carriers together operate over 250 flights per week to Abu Dhabi from 15 Indian cities.