Etihad to launch new service to Barcelona

Etihad Airways has announced the introduction of a new scheduled service linking Abu Dhabi, capital of the UAE, and Barcelona, Spain, effective 21 November 2018. The route will initially be operated five times a week by a two-class Airbus A330-200 before becoming a daily operation from 31 March 2019.

Barcelona will become the second city in Spain served by Etihad Airways, complementing the airline’s existing daily service to the capital Madrid. The new link will provide business and leisure travellers with convenient timings to travel between Abu Dhabi and Barcelona, also providing seamless onward connections through Abu Dhabi to major cities in the Indian Subcontinent, Southeast Asia, China, Japan, Korea and Australia.

“As one of the largest unserved markets from our Abu Dhabi base, Barcelona – a hub of culture, commerce, tourism, education, fashion and science, has witnessed a significant increase in travel demand from the emirate, and from across our wider network. We are now delighted to announce the first direct link between these two important global hubs. We are confident it will prove very popular with UAE and Barcelona-based customers, allowing us to extend our acclaimed in-flight service, hospitality and flair to this vibrant Mediterranean city, and to build on the flourishing cultural and commercial ties between the UAE and Spain,” Peter Baumgartner, Chief Executive Officer Etihad Airways.

The new service is being launched in time for the start of the 2018 Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, the Middle East’s largest sporting event, held from 23-25 November at the capital’s 5.55 kilometre Yas Marina Circuit.

Barcelona is one of the busiest cruise ports in the world and an important source market of cruise traffic for Etihad Airways. Abu Dhabi has also emerged as one of the leading cruise destinations in the Arabian Gulf region, with over 329,105 cruise tourists visiting the city during the 2017 season. The new direct service between the two cities will ensure Abu Dhabi remains a leading player in the region’s cruise travel ambitions.