Etihad Doubles US Network With New Services to Dallas/Fort Worth

Abu Dhabi-based airline Etihad has doubled its network to the US within the last 12 months with the addition of its new service to Dallas/Fort Worth, the airline’s president and the CEO said.

Dallas/ Forth Worth became Etihad’s sixth US destination as the airline began three non-stop flights per week between Dallas and Abu Dhabi on December 3. The carrier also announced plans to upgrade the thrice-weekly service to daily flights between Dallas and Abu Dhabi by next year.

“Linking Dallas Fort/Worth with the strategically important and rapidly growing markets in the Middle East and Indian Subcontinent will help to deepen the strong commercial, trade and cultural relationship between the US and the UAE,” Etihad CEO James Hogan said during his speech at the US-UAE Business Council.

“The two-way connections offered by this service will benefit the oil and gas sector and technology sectors, as well as the 20 Fortune 500 companies based in Dallas/Fort Worth and the 52 Fortune 500 companies based in Texas,” he said.

He added that the US market was important for Etihad, as it was the largest aviation market in the world. The airline is also looking to tap into the potential trade corridor between the UAE and the US, as the Emirates was the largest export market for the US in the Middle East.

Dallas/Fort Worth is the 17th largest US port for trade with the UAE, with total trade growing from $68 million in 1999 to $363 million in 2012. The city is also the largest and most important hub for American Airlines, the main US codeshare partner of Etihad Airways.

Hogan said that while expanding the Etihad Airways network in the US, the airline was also continuing to invest in US companies through its aircraft orders.

“At 2014 list prices, the total value of Boeing jets we have received or have on order is $36.5 billion. Based on US government calculations, this represents almost 210,000 US aerospace jobs.

“We also have options and purchase rights for in excess of 30 more aircraft, which if exercised will further strengthen our contribution to the economy,” he said.

Last year Etihad also began a $1 billion partnership with the Texas-based firm Sabre Travel Technologies for the provision of a new IT platform to support its global passenger services systems.

Currently, Etihad operates 45 passenger flights a week between Abu Dhabi and the US. The airline’s latest additions to the US route from Abu Dhabi include a second daily flight to New York and daily flights to Los Angeles and San Francisco.