Kenya Airways has announced the commencement of direct flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, as it grows its presence in the Middle East.

The airline will start operating the service on the route from July 1st, 2013, flying three times a week between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi. 

The city of Abu Dhabi is the second KQ destination in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai where the airline already flies to ten times a week.

Kenya Airways’ chief executive Titus Naikuni said the new route will provide a vital connection between Africa and the Middle East leveraging on the relationship with Etihad Airways.

“These flights are intended to add value to our customers by providing improved connections and more choices of travel into other parts of the Middle East,” Naikuni added.

The launch of flights to Abu Dhabi comes just months after Kenya Airways signed a codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates.

The agreement allows Kenya Airways’ passengers to seamlessly connect to Etihad Airways’  other destinations, while also ferrying those originating from various Etihad destinations in the Middle East to different parts of Africa through Nairobi.