Etihad Airways will add three new weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Manila from 1 May 2016, offering a total of 17 return flights per week. 

Etihad Airways’ President and Chief Executive Officer, James Hogan, said the new services would enable Etihad Airways to offer guests more choice when travelling between the Philippines and the UAE.

“The Abu Dhabi-Manila route is one of our strongest in terms of demand and has been capacity-constrained over the past few years.

“The new services will increase capacity between the two cities by almost 2,500 seats per week enabling Etihad Airways to better serve the market in the UAE and the Philippines for point-to-point travel.”

The enhanced flight schedule also provides seamless connectivity over the Abu Dhabi hub; 1085 weekly connections to 58 destinations on the airline’s global network. This includes connections to Bahrain, Dammam, Doha, Jeddah, Kuwait and Riyadh which are in the top 10 destinations for travellers to and from the Philippines.

Mr Hogan said the extra capacity would also enable Etihad Airways and its partner airlines in Europe to grow the business and leisure travel market from the UAE and countries such as the UK, France, and Italy.

“For holidaymakers, the Philippines – with its secluded islands, pristine beaches, undersea diving spots and luxury resorts – is one of the world’s best-kept secrets.

“There’s huge potential to grow the visitor market, particularly from the Middle East and Europe, and we’re keen to work with our European partner airlines, the Philippines Government and its tourism board to showcase the beauty of the country and the friendliness of its people.

“The three additional weekly services between Abu Dhabi and Manila will help us realise this ambition.”

The additional frequency is also expected to boost commerce and trade between the UAE and the Philippines. With a belly hold capacity of 18 tonnes, the B777-300ER offers the airline and its freight customers a significant opportunity to grow the export/import business, particularly in the area of electronics and fresh food.

All 17 weekly flights will be operated by a two-class Boeing 777-300ER with 28 seats in Business and 384 in Economy.

Codeshare partner airline, Philippine Airlines places its PR code on the current 14 weekly flights Abu Dhabi-Manila operated by Etihad Airways. From 1 May 2016, the partner airlines will offer a combined total of 22 weekly flights between Manila and Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways commenced services to the Philippines in February 2006.