ABU DHABI: Etihad Airways, the UAE’s national airline, is marking a special milestone this month—20 years of flying to India. The journey began on 26th September 2004, when Etihad launched its first flights to Mumbai, followed by New Delhi on 1st December of the same year.
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Since then, Etihad’s presence in India has grown significantly. The airline’s network has expanded to include 11 destinations in India, with new additions like Thiruvananthapuram, Kozhikode, and Jaipur this year. Etihad is also enhancing its service between Abu Dhabi and India, increasing seat capacity with more frequent flights to Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, and Kolkata. This summer, the airline is operating over 50 additional flights per week to India, offering more convenient departure times and improved flexibility for onward connections.
Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, celebrated the anniversary, stating, “India is a strategically important market for Etihad, and we’re incredibly proud to reach this 20-year milestone. When we started flying to Mumbai in 2004, it was our 8th global destination. Today, we’ve expanded to 80 destinations and aim to offer 125 by 2030.”
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This anniversary highlights Etihad’s commitment to strengthening its connections with India and continuing to provide enhanced travel options for passengers between the UAE and India.
