NEW DELHI: With the Gulf and the massive Indian subcontinent as its big market, Abu Dhabi-based Etihad on Monday announced 10 new international destinations. While it did not announce any new Indian destination, one of the 10 — Atlanta — will be the fastest connection to and from India, Etihad’s chief revenue and commercial officer Arik De said. And that its India market is “one of the enablers” for this growth.
Etihad currently has 176 weekly flights to 11 Indian cities. The 10 new destinations announced Monday are Algiers, Atlanta, Chiang Mai, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Krabi, Medan, Phnom Penh, Taipei and Tunis. The airline is among the rare Gulf carriers that still has unutilised bilaterals for adding flights to India.
Asked why the country saw no addition, Arik De said: “We are very involved in India and are the only airline that has a website in Hindi. We have grown 109% in India on a year-on-year basis. We recently increased more than doubled Jaipur frequency from earlier four times weekly. The India market is one of the enablers for the unprecedented 10 new route announcement in a day by any airline. We don’t think any airline has done this anywhere else. Going forward, we look forward to adding these many destinations every year,” De said.
“We are doing very well in all the Indian cities we fly to. Monday’s 10 new destinations are to balance the network in other regions,” Etihad CEO Antonoaldo Neves said.
Etihad currently has about 90 aircraft and its fleet is expected to rise to over 160 by the end of this decade. Like all airlines globally, it is facing a delay in aircraft deliveries. When asked if the Gulf is seeing an overcapacity by airlines thanks to biggies like Emirates and Qatar Airways having their hubs in the region, De gave the example of India: “Look at India with its mind-boggling (aircraft orders) of Air India, IndiGo, Akasa and others. We serve the entire GCC and the Indian subcontinent. As incomes rise in the region and India, the demand for travel will only grow.”
Etihad will start serving the 10 new destinations starting next year. Antonoaldo Neves said: “This expansion reflects our commitment to listening to our valued guests. We’ve carefully chosen cities that embody the experiences, adventures, and opportunities that matter to them… This moment is not just about expanding our network; it’s about sharing Abu Dhabi with the world. With its endless sunshine, diverse cuisine, rich culture, exhilarating family theme parks, and safe, beautiful beaches, Abu Dhabi offers something for everyone. Our expanded network will make it easier than ever for guests to experience everything our home city has to offer.”