Bangkok--29 Aug--Total Quality PR (Thailand) Etihad Airways, The National Airline of the United Arab Emirates, which operates highly popular twice daily flights from Bangkok to Abu Dhabi and onwards to 45 destinations around the globe, is to double the number of its flights during the holy month of Ramadan between Abu Dhabi and Jeddah, and add special flights to Medina Al Munawara. The airline will increase its daily service from Abu Dhabi to Jeddah to 14 flights a week, and will introduce during Ramadan two flights a week to Medina Al Munawara. The extra services will operate between 13 September and 13 October. The Medina flights will operate twice a week on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight uplift also opens a range of short and long-haul connections for air travellers flying via Etihad’s Abu Dhabi home base. Passengers will be able to connect quickly and conveniently from more than 20 Etihad destinations, which include Manila, Johannesburg, Sydney, Jakarta, Bangkok, Mumbai, Lahore, Karachi, Dhaka, Khartoum, and Toronto, as well as European destinations. James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: “The double daily flights from Abu Dhabi to Jeddah will cater for the great demand from Umra travellers during the holy month of Ramadan. “The extra flights to both Jeddah and Medina will enhance significantly the long-haul travel options to the Muslim communities throughout our network with a short transfer time in Abu Dhabi on many routes.” The additional Umra flights are on top of the airline’s recently announced flying programme which will witness a 21 per cent hike in flights when it is introduced at the end of October. In its biggest route network and schedule revamp to date, the UAE’s national carrier will boost its weekly flights from 564 to 716. Etihad launched its first service from Abu Dhabi to Riyadh in December 2004. It began operating in the same month to Dammam and in May 2006 it started flights to Jeddah. Etihad extra flights to Jeddah and Medina will be operated by two cabin Airbus A330-200 and Boeing 777-300 aircraft.About Etihad Airways Etihad Airways is the national airline of the United Arab Emirates based in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi. Currently Etihad offers flights to 45 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa, Asia and Australia. For further details: Etihad Airways Corporate Communications: Tel: 02 253 0099 or visit www.etihadairways.com For more information as well as pictures, please contact: Tom Van Blarcom / Ruthaiwan Tanwongwan Total Quality PR (Thailand) Co., Ltd Tel. 02 260 5820 Fax 02 260 5847 — 8 E-mail : [email protected] Click for photo release at www.thaipr.net