Etihad marks 15 years of service to India, Bahrain

Abu Dhabi - Flag carrier lauds bilateral relationships of countries in contributing to each other's growth and development

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is preparing to celebrate 15 years of service to its largest and busiest market, India.
The airline's milestone coincides with the third visit to the UAE of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the importance of the partnership between the two countries. Etihad launched daily flights between the UAE capital and Mumbai in September 2004.
Today, Etihad operates 159 return flights per week between Abu Dhabi and 10 key Indian gateways. Since launching operations to the sub-continent, Etihad has carried more than 16.5 million passengers on its Indian routes.
Etihad Airways group CEO Tony Douglas said: "India and the UAE share a long and strong economic, cultural and diplomatic relationship, and Etihad Airways connects these nations to each other, and beyond. We serve more destinations in India than any other country in our network, and connect India to the world via Abu Dhabi. Globally, we employ more than 4,800 Indian nationals, almost 25 per cent of our workforce. We contribute strongly to both economies, and last year spent $151 million with 480 companies in India. Our commitment is significant and will continue to grow."
Etihad is also celebrating the 15th anniversary of its operations between Abu Dhabi and Manama, the capital of Bahrain.
Since launching services to Bahrain in 2004, Etihad has carried more than 2.5 million guests between the two capitals. Today, the airline operates 28 flights per week and carries 200,000 guests annually to and from Bahrain.
"Bahrain has evolved as a significant market for Etihad, notably because of its strong relationships, long history and shared culture with the UAE, and we will continue to build upon these foundations," Etihad Aviation Group chief commercial officer Robin Kamark said.