Etihad to start flights to MLE

Etihad Airways announced today that it will commence operations to Malé, the capital city of the Republic of Maldives, on November 1, subject to government approval.

Etihad will operate a daily return service from its home base in Abu Dhabi to Malé International Airport, operating Airbus A320 aircraft on the route, configured with two cabins and offering 1,904 seats each week.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ Chief Executive Officer, said: "Malé is the gateway to the premium leisure destination, the Maldive Islands, and given the strong increase in visitation numbers we are seeing in the market, the time is right to launch services to this popular holiday destination.”

Mr Hogan said the commencement of the services in November was perfectly timed to coincide with the start of the busy Northern winter period.

“We expect the services will appeal to UAE leisure travellers, as well as customers from our major European markets, particularly with the strong connectivity options on offer and following the additional frequencies that will come online on a number of our key European routes this summer,” he said.

“Etihad’s schedule, which offers an attractive afternoon arrival and evening departure, has been carefully designed to offer customers maximum leisure time at their destination. In fact, European travellers can take advantage of our overnight flights in both directions, offering them a full extra day in the Maldives.”

The Maldives is made up of close to 1,200 islands grouped into natural atolls; including 200 inhabited islands and 97 resort islands, with a population of close to 300,000 people*. The region features deep blue seas, sandy beaches and turquoise reefs, and with its tropical climate and warm temperatures year round, is a renowned honeymoon and leisure destination.



Etihad Holidays has special packages on offer for the most spectacular of the islands. Offering a wide range of experiences for all budgets, Etihad Holidays has developed tailored packages for honeymooners or families, sun worshippers or divers. The packages include flights, hotel accommodation and island transfers. For further information, call 800 2324 or visit an Etihad shop for more details.

Etihad Guest Members who book early and fly during the first 30 days of operation will be rewarded with twice as many Etihad Guest Miles. For further information, go to etihad.com. Terms and conditions apply.

Malé will become the 67th destination on Etihad’s global network.

EY 278 AUH - MLE 0915 1430 4hrs 15mins
EY 279 MLE - AUH 2040 0005+1 4hrs 25mins

source: arabianaerospace.aero

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EK capacity changes and Etihad's expansion this winter

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EMIRATES :

As per 13AUG10 GDS timetable/inventory display, latest major network-wide changes to Emirates’ 2010/11 Winter operation, effective 31OCT10 as follows (latest operation overview also listed):

New Airbus A380 service
Dubai – Bangkok – Hong Kong A380 replace 777-300 from 01OCT10

For now, Bangkok service is 2 Daily A380. However, EK372/373, current A380 service, is to be switching to 777-300, but not updated in GDS yet (at time of 2nd update goes to press)

New Changes
Dubai – Amsterdam Daily 777-300ER, replacing -200LR/-300ER
Dubai – Bangkok EK374/375 Reduce from Daily to 6 weekly, Day x6 from DXB/Day x7 from BKK Canceled (overall reduce from 28 to 27 weekly)

Dubai – Houston NEW 2nd Daily service
EK213 DXB0240 – 0905IAH 77L x1
EK213 DXB0240 – 0905IAH 77W 1
EK211 DXB0930 – 1555IAH 77L D

EK214 IAH1145 – 1225+1DXB 77L x1
EK214 IAH1145 – 1225+1DXB 77W 1
EK212 IAH1825 – 1905+1DXB 77L D

777-300ER operates on this route once a week.

Dubai – Los Angeles NEW 2nd Daily service
EK217 DXB0315 – 0745LAX 77L D
EK215 DXB0820 – 1250LAX 77L D

EK218 LAX1000 – 1350+1DXB 77L D
EK216 LAX1600 – 1945+1DXB 77L D

Dubai – Moscow Domodedovo EK131/132 777-200LR replace -300ER on Day 6 and -300 on Day 7
Dubai – Perth EK420/421 777-300ER replace -200LR on Day x1
Dubai – Sao Paulo Planned Boeing 777-300ER service (replacing -200LR), postponed till 01DEC10
Dubai – Sydney 2 Daily NONSTOP service reduce to 1 Daily, EK414/415 temporary canceled. (Additional 1 Daily service via Bangkok unchanged)
Dubai – Tunis Reduce from Daily to 5 weekly (Day x46)

Previously noted changes:
Dubai – Amsterdam Flight number change from EK145/146 to EK147/148
Dubai – Athens EK103/104 A340-500 replace A330-200 from 02JAN11
Dubai – Beijing EK308/309 A340-500 replace -300
Dubai – Brisbane – Auckland 777-300ER replace A340-500 from 01JAN11
Dubai – Dhaka EK586/587 3 weekly service continues A330-200 operation
Dubai – Hong Kong 777-300ER operates 31OCT10 to 31DEC10, then switching to -200
Dubai – Kuala Lumpur EK342/343 continues 777-300 operation
Dubai – Luanda Boeing 777-200 replace Airbus A330-200
Dubai – New York JFK EK201/202 A380 service returns, replacing 777-300ER
Dubai – Perth EK424/425 777-200LR replace -300ER from 01DEC10
Dubai – Seychelles Increase from 6 to 7 weekly
Dubai – Tripoli EK743/744 Airbus A340-500 replace A330-200 from 01JAN11

As noted earlier on this blog this year, Airbus A340-500′s long-haul operation to Australia ends on 31DEC10 (DXB departure)

General overview:

Route

Dubai – Houston
7 77L EK211/212
6 77L 1 77W EK213/214

Dubai – Los Angeles
7 77L EK215/216
7 77L EK217/218

Dubai – New York JFK
7 388 EK201/202
7 77W EK203/204

Dubai – San Francisco 7 77W

Dubai – Sao Paulo
7 77L -30NOV10
7 77W -01DEC10

Dubai – Toronto 3 388
*
Dubai – Amsterdam 7 77W

Dubai – Athens
4 332 EK103/104 -31DEC10
4 345 EK105/106 -2JAN11
7 332

Dubai – Birmingham
7 77W EK037/038
7 77W EK039/040

Dubai – Dusseldorf
7 773 EK055/056
7 332 EK057/058

Dubai – Frankfurt
7 77W EK045/046
7 77W EK047/048

Dubai – Glasgow
7 77W

Dubai – Hamburg
2 77W
5 773

Dubai – Istanbul
4 772 EK123/124
7 77W EK121/122

Dubai – Larnaca – Malta
7 332

Dubai – London Gatwick
7 77W EK009/010
7 77W EK015/016
7 772 EK011/012

Dubai – London Heathrow
7 773 EK007/008
7 388 EK001/002
7 77W EK029/030
7 388 EK003/004
7 773 EK005/006

Dubai – Madrid
7 343

Dubai – Manchester
7 388 EK017/018
7 77W EK019/020

Dubai – Milan Malpensa
7 343 EK091/092
7 343 EK093/094

Dubai – Moscow Domodedovo
7 345 EK133/134
5 77W EK131/132
2 77L

Dubai – Munich
7 332 EK051/052
7 773 EK049/050

Dubai – Newcastle
7 332

Dubai – Nice
7 332

Dubai – Paris CDG
7 388 EK073/074
6 773 EK075/076
1 772

Dubai – Prague
7 332

Dubai – Rome
7 332 EK095/096
7 773 EK097/098

Dubai – Venice
7 343

Dubai – Vienna
7 77W

Dubai – Zurich
7 772 EK085/086
7 77W EK087/088

*
Dubai – Accra – Abidjan
7 343

Dubai – Addis Ababa – Entebbe
7 77W -31DEC10
7 345 -01JAN11

Dubai – Cairo
4 77W 3 772 EK923/924
3 332 3 772 EK927/928

Dubai – Cape Town
7 77W

Dubai – Casablanca
7 345

Dubai – Dakar
5 343

Dubai – Dar es Salaam
7 345

Dubai – Durban
7 332

Dubai – Johannesburg
7 77W EK761/762
7 77W EK763/764
7 77W EK765/766


Dubai – Khartoum
7 345

Dubai – Lagos
7 345 EK781/782
7 77W EK783/784

Dubai – Luanda
3 772

Dubai – Mauritius
4 773 EK701/702
2 773 1 77W EK3703/3704
2 77W EK3705/3706


Dubai – Nairobi
7 332 EK719/720
7 772 EK721/722

Dubai – Seychelles
5 345 EK705/706
2 345 EK707/708

Dubai – Tripoli

EK743/744 3 332
3 345 -02JAN11
03JAN11-
EK745/746 7 345

Dubai – Tunis 5 332
*
Dubai – Ahmedabad
6 332 EK538/539
4 332 EK540/541

Dubai – Bangalore
7 332 EK564/565
5 332 1 772 EK566/567
7 332 EK568/569

Dubai – Bangkok
7 388
6 773 EK372/373
EK374/375
Dubai – Bangkok – Hong Kong 7 388
Dubai – Bangkok – Sydney – Christchurch 7 77W
Dubai – Beijing 7 345
7 388 EK308/309
EK306/307
Dubai – Brisbane – Auckland 7 345
7 77W -31DEC10
01JAN11-
Dubai – Chennai
EK542/543 6 332 1 773
3 772
3 332
1 773 -28JAN11
29JAN11-
Dubai – Chennai
EK544/545 2 772
2 773
2 77W
1 332
EK546/547 3 772 4 332
Dubai – Colombo 5 77W 2 773
4 77W 3 773 -09EB11
10EB11-
Dubai – Colombo – Singapore 5 77W 2 773
Dubai – Delhi 6 772 1 77W
5 773 2 772
7 332
7 332 EK510/511
EK512/513
EK514/515
EK516/517
Dubai – Dhaka 7 77W
6 77W 1 772
3 332 EK582/583
EK584/585
EK586/587
Dubai – Guangzhou 7 77W
Dubai – Hong Kong 7 77W
7 772 -31DEC10
01JAN11-
Dubai – Hyderabad 7 332
7 332 EK526/527
EK528/529
EK524/525 4 332
1 773
2 772
Dubai – Islamabad 2 77W
2 77W 1 772 EK612/613
EK614/615
Dubai – Jakarta 7 77W
7 77W EK356/357
EK358/359
Dubai – Karachi
EK600/601
*
EK602/603
EK604/605
EK606/607
2 773 1 332
4 77W
2 772 5 332
7 332
6 332 1 77W
Dubai – Kochi
EK530/531
*
EK532/533
5 772 1 77W
1 332
4 772 3 332
Dubai – Kolkata 5 332
7 332 EK572/573
EK570/571
Dubai – Kozhikode 5 772
5 332 1 772 EK560/561
EK562/563
Dubai – Kuala Lumur 7 773
7 77W EK342/343
EK346/347
Dubai – Kuala Lumur – Melbourne 7 77W
Dubai – Lahore 3 77W
1 77W EK622/623
EK624/625
Dubai – Male 7 77W
Dubai – Male – Colombo 5 773 2 772
Dubai – Manila 7 77W
7 77W EK332/333
EK334/335
Dubai – Melbourne – Auckland 7 77W
Dubai – Mumbai
EK500/501
EK502/503
EK504/504
*
EK506/507
EK508/509
7 77W
6 77W 1 772
1 77W 3 773 3 772
7 332
7 332
Dubai – Osaka Kansai 7 77W
Dubai – Peshawar 2 772
Dubai – Perth
EK420/421 6 77L 1 77W
Dubai – Perth
EK424/425 7 77W
7 77L -30NOV10
01DEC10-
Dubai – Seoul Incheon 7 388
Dubai – Shanghai Pu Dong 7 77W
7 343 EK302/303
EK304/305
Dubai – Singapore – Brisbane 7 77W
Dubai – Singapore – Melbourne 7 77W
Dubai – Sydney – Auckland 7 388
Dubai – Thiruvananthauram 5 332
7 332 EK520/521
EK522/523
Dubai – Tokyo Narita 5 77W
*
Dubai – Amman
EK901/902
*
EK903/904
3 772 3 332
1 77W
4 332 2 772
1 773
Dubai – Bahrain
EK835/836
EK837/838
EK839/840
7 332
7 332
4 332 2 772
1 773
Dubai – Beirut
EK953/954
*
EK955/956
EK957/958
4 77L 2 345
1 77W
3 332
4 332 2 345
1 77W
Dubai – Damascus 7 332
4 772 3 332 EK911/912
EK913/914
Doha – Dammam
EK821/822
*
EK823/824
EK825/826
1 77W 1 332
1 772
2 332
1 77W 1 772
Dubai – Doha
EK847/848
EK841/842
*
EK843/844
EK849/850
EK845/846
7 332
2 77W 3 332
2 772
6 332 1 773
6 332 1 77W
3 332 3 772
1 77W
Dubai – Jeddah 7 388
Dubai – Kuwait
EK853/854
EK855/856
*
EK857/858
*
EK859/860
7 332
1 773 3 332
2 77W 1 772
2 772 1 773
3 332 1 77W
5 332 1 773
1 772
Dubai – Muscat 7 332
3 772 4 332 EK866/867
EK862/863
Dubai – Riyadh 4 77W 3 772
Dubai – Sana’a 7 332
Dubai – Tehran
EK975/976
*
EK971/972
EK977/978
1 343 2 77W
4 332
3 332 4 77W
2 332 2 77L
2 77W 1 772



ETIHAD:

As per 13AUG10 GDS timetable display, changes to ETIHAD’s planned 2010/11 Winter operation as follows:

Abu Dhabi – Almaty Day 6 service A320 replace A319 (overall remains 3 weekly)
Abu Dhabi – Cairo EY655/656 Daily A320 (instead of A320/330 mix)
Abu Dhabi – Chicago Day 3 service A340-500 replace -600
Abu Dhabi – Dublin Service maintained at 10 weekly
Abu Dhabi – Erbil Increase from 2 to 3 weekly
EY557 AUH0830 – 1035EBL 320 26
EY557 AUH1015 – 1205EBL 320 7

EY558 EBL1135 – 1515AUH 320 26
EY558 EBL1300 – 1640AUH 320 7

Abu Dhabi – Frankfurt Airbus A330-300 aircraft enters operation from 01DEC10
EY001/002 333 Day x357 332 Day 357
EY007/008 333 Day 246 332 Day x246

Abu Dhabi – Geneva Airbus A330-300 aircraft enters operation, gradually replacing -200
31OCT10 – 30NOV10 333 Day 4 332 Day X17
01DEC10 - 333 Day x17

Abu Dhabi – Islamabad Boeing 777-300ER operates 3 of 7 weekly, 4th weekly from 19DEC10, replacing A320
Abu Dhabi – Lahore Daily A340-600 service (selected dates operated by -500)
Abu Dhabi – London Heathrow By January 2011, all 3 Daily service are operated by either Airbus A340-500/-600 (EY017/018 Day 1 is A330-300)

Abu Dhabi – Manchester Airbus A330-200 replace 777-300ER during following periods:
01NOV10 – 05NOV10 / 16NOV10 – 09DEC10

Abu Dhabi – Manila Capacity increase, EY424/423 777-300ER replace A330-200 (total 12 weekly 777-300ER flight)

Abu Dhabi – Melbourne operating aircraft adjustment
345 Day x257 346 Day 257 (MEL departs following day)

Abu Dhabi – Paris CDG Operating aircraft changes
EY031/032 333 Daily
EY037/038 332 Day 13 333 Day 7

Abu Dhabi – Sydney EY454/455 operating aircraft adjustment
345 Day 15 346 Day 37 (SYD departs following day)

Abu Dhabi – Tokyo Narita 1 of 5 weekly operates with Airbus A340-500, replacing A330-200
332 Day x247 345 Day 7 (NRT departs following day)

As previously posted, ETIHAD is launching Daily Abu Dhabi – Seoul Incheon from 10DEC10


courtesy: airlineroute.net