Etihad Airways has launched its first ever scheduled flights linking Australia and Barcelona, via its Abu Dhabi hub.
The inaugural flight, EY49, departed Abu Dhabi this morning. The new route will initially be five times a week on board a two-class Airbus A330-200, before becoming a daily operation from March 31.
Business and leisure travelers alike will be able to connect to the service with twice-daily flights from Sydney and Melbourne via Abu Dhabi, and daily from Brisbane.
Group Chief Executive Officer Etihad Aviation Group Tony Douglas said the team was “tremendously excited” about the launch of the service.
“And what better time to arrive in Barcelona than the month Etihad celebrates its 15th anniversary,” he said.
“Commercial and cultural links between the UAE and the Catalonia region are flourishing and Etihad is honoured to play a pivotal role in facilitating and enhancing the growth of trade and the strong demand for tourism.”
Group Chief Executive Officer Etihad Aviation Group Tony Douglas
The UAE national airline is celebrating the occasion in style by hosting a special event held at the historic Capella dels Angels, a sixteenth-century Gothic building which is now part of the Museu d’Art Contemporani de Barcelona.
Barcelona is the second city in Spain served by Etihad Airways, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to Madrid.
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