Etihad Airways to start daily Melbourne flights
|
28 July 2008
|
Visitors to Melbourne from key markets including Abu Dhabi, the UK and Europe will have access to new non-stop daily flight services between Melbourne and the United Arab Emirates from early next year.
|
United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier Etihad Airways is set to commence daily Airbus A340 services between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne in March 2009.
James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive officer, said: “Etihad looks forward to opening up further trade and holiday-maker traffic business in both the UAE and Australia by creating direct links between Abu Dhabi and Melbourne.”
The Victorian Government helped facilitate the aviation win for Melbourne and have welcomed Etihad to the city.
“Middle East carriers are among the fastest growing in the world, emerging as a new focal point in global aviation and Etihad’s new flights will further open-up Victoria to the world.” Victorian Premier John Brumby said.
Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways is a national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It services more than 45 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Asia, Africa and Australia.
“Passenger movements between Victoria and the United Arab Emirates topped 37,700 in the year to March 2008 – this is a 20 per cent increase on the previous year, and with Etihad’s arrival to Melbourne the outlook is even stronger,” Mr Brumby said.
“Etihad’s services will also further secure Victoria’s position as a gateway to the United Kingdom and Europe and with 30 per cent of our visitors coming from these areas the new flights will provide a great opportunity to attract even more people to Victoria.”
Industry and Trade Minister Theo Theophanous welcomed Etihad’s decision to start flying into Melbourne and said the Middle East was a key trade and investment focus for Victoria.
“The UAE in particular offers a range of exciting opportunities in areas including professional and technical services, food, health, building and construction and automotive vehicles and components,” Mr Theophanous said
“Two-way trade with the UAE has almost doubled over the past five years and overall the Middle East is one of our fastest growing export markets. Etihad’s arrival will allow us to build further on this relationship.”
Mr Theophanous said Etihad was also currently expanding its fleet with a large purchase of wide-body, long range aircraft.
The Etihad flights follow recent aviation results for the Brumby Government including Tiger Airways’ heavy maintenance contract with John Holland Aviation Services and service expansions by Cathay Pacific, Thai Airways and Philippine Airlines.
|
