Etihad Airways will increase its Abu Dhabi-Colombo service from seven flights per week to a double daily schedule from Feb. 16.

Operated with an A320 aircraft fitted with 16 Pearl Business Class seats and 120 Coral Economy Class seats, the new service will add over 1,900 seats per week on the Abu Dhabi-Colombo route.

The new flights will also offer a 46 percent increase in the number of connections to key destinations via the airline’s hub in Abu Dhabi.

Kevin Knight, Etihad Airways’ chief strategy and planning officer, said: “Our new second daily flight to Colombo will strengthen our position in the Sri Lankan market and offer our guests more travel options.”

The new service will also build on the strength of Etihad’s partnership with Sri Lankan Airlines with the carriers combining to offer three daily services on the route with convenient schedules for guests.

The Colombo service was re-launched in January 2010 and has carried more than 210,000 passengers to date.