Etihad ups Johannesburg flights to daily
Etihad began flying to the commercial capital of South Africa twice a week in December 2005 and the route has proved immensely popular with business and leisure air travellers. Much of the demand for the service to increase to a daily flight has come from the expanding South African community that lives and works in the Gulf.
There are currently an estimated 100,000 South African nationals living throughout the Gulf region, out of which an estimated 20,000 live in the UAE.
Geert Boven, Etihad Airways’ executive vice president sales and services, said: ‘Etihad’s base in Abu Dhabi provides a natural air-bridge linking the Gulf communities and Etihad’s network to South Africa.
‘The demand for daily flights between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg has grown considerably during the past 12 months whether it is UAE-based South Africans flying home with Etihad or holidaymakers visiting South Africa.
Johannesburg is the provincial capital of Gauteng and has a population of almost eight million.
ADVERTISEMENT
As well as being South Africa’s wealthiest city, Johannesburg is a frequent transit point for passengers taking connecting flights to Cape Town and Durban and other member states of the Southern African Development Countries (SADC).
Mmutlane Samson Makena, South Africa’s Charge d’Affairs to the UAE, said: ‘South Africa continues to develop closer commercial and cultural ties with the UAE and the new daily Etihad flight between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg will help us to enhance this further.’
To celebrate the new daily service Etihad is offering promotional fares for flights to Johannesburg. Return economy fares start from AED 2,020 and return business class fares start from AED 9,850 (taxes not included).
In addition to these special fares, members of the Etihad Guest loyalty programme can earn ‘double miles’ when travelling on the Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg route throughout August.
Etihad operates a two cabin Airbus A330-200 between Abu Dhabi and Johannesburg which is configured to carry 262 passengers, with 22 in business class and 240 in economy.
From 1 August flight EY600 will depart daily from Abu Dhabi at 2.25am and arrive in Johannesburg at 8.20am.
The return flight EY601 will depart from Johannesburg every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday at 10.25am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 8.10pm.
On Tuesday EY601 will depart from Johannesburg at 10.40am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 8.25pm. On Saturday EY601 will depart from Johannesburg at 11.05am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 8.50pm. On Sunday EY601 will depart from Johannesburg at 10.30am and arrive in Abu Dhabi at 8.15pm.
Etihad was recently named ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline,’ ‘Middle East’s Leading First Class Airline’ and ‘Middle East’s Leading Airline Website’ at the inaugural regional World Travel Awards, Middle East & Africa ceremony, that took place at the Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi.
Sponsored links
Abu Dhabi
Hotels
Log on to VLM Abu Dhabi if you are looking for one of the
Internet’s most comprehensive directory of
hotels in Abu
Dhabi including a rich visual library of photo galleries,
virtual tours and videos. Very Last Minute Abu Dhabi allows you
to get in touch with the hotels directly - no middle man.
target="_top">www.VLMabudhabi.com.
Virtual Abu
Dhabi
Virtual Abu Dhabi allows you to experience the magic of Abu Dhabi
without leaving your desk. The website uses rich media and includes 22
videos and 376 virtual tours.
target="_top">www.virtual-abudhabi.com.
Checkout Flights 2 Abu Dhabi if you want to find out how you can
fly to Abu
Dhabi from anywhere in the world. Flights 2 The World is a
leading supplier of flight data, include real-time flight information
allowing you to check delays on any commercial flight, also the airport
codes for every airport making booking flights easy.
target="_top">www.flights2abudhabi.com.
Log on to Abu Dhabi Up if you want to find a portal where you
supply the content. This rich media portal for Abu Dhabi allows
you to tell the world what the top destinations and resorts are really
like, share your holiday experience with anyone worldwide, or just find
out what a destination is really like before your visit.