Etihad Airways today introduced the Boeing 787-9 on its scheduled daily service from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to Beirut, Lebanon.

The new 787 Dreamliner service replaces the Airbus A321 aircraft previously operating the airline’s EY535/EY538 flights to and from the Lebanese capital.

The Boeing 787-9 features Etihad Airways’ next-generation Business and Economy Class cabins and is configured with 299 seats – 28 Business Studios and 271 Economy Smart Seats.

Mohammad Al Bulooki, Etihad Airways executive vice president, commercial, said: “Beirut was the first international destination served by Etihad Airways in 2003 and it is fitting that we introduce the state-of-the-art 787 Dreamliner to this key market today.

“The new two-class 787-9 provides an increase of 125 seats per flight, with 4,186 weekly seats now offered in both directions.

“This reflects the strong demand to Lebanon from Abu Dhabi and the entire UAE, where a large Lebanese expatriate community resides.

“Additionally, a significant proportion of our customers travelling to Lebanon originate in Australia, home to a considerable Lebanese Australian community, with the vast majority based in the Sydney area.

“They can now enjoy an upgraded, seamless flying experience, connecting from A380 services via Abu Dhabi onto 787 Dreamliners onwards to Beirut.”