ABU DHABI, 30 August 2005 — Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, announced yesterday that it would join other regional carriers in transporting passengers and cargo to Johannesburg as early as December this year.
The Abu Dhabi-based company is set to take delivery of new, long-range, wide-bodied aircraft that will ideally position it to take full advantage of the expanding business, holiday and cargo traffic to the African continent.
Etihad will fly nonstop from Abu Dhabi to Johannesburg (EY 603) at 0045 and from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi (EY 604) at 0950 on Thursday and Saturday. Guests will fly on a luxuriously appointed Airbus A340-300 configured for 10 Diamond guests, 30 Pearl guests, and 225 Coral guests.
The South African Embassy in Abu Dhabi recently reported that South Africa’s exports to the UAE had increased from $251 million in 2002 to $410.5 million in 2004. Exports during the first quarter of 2005 stand at $120.7 million.
“South Africa enjoys a strong and growing economic relationship with the UAE, and we applaud Etihad Airway’s prudent decision to begin passenger and cargo flights to Johannesburg, one of our largest cities and the center of our commercial enterprise. We also welcome the region’s holiday makers. The total number of business and holiday travelers who spend a minimum of 48 hours in the UAE has far surpassed the 40,000 persons mark annually,” said Dikang Moopeloa, South African ambassador to the United Arab Emirates. “And with more than 5,000 active South African nationals in the UAE alone, the announcement of an additional, premium air carrier regularly servicing our home country is good news for all of us.”
