Etihad Regional Starts Geneva-Stuttgart Flights

Etihad Regional has started four times weekly services between Geneva and Stuttgart, becoming the first airline to provide a direct link between the two cities.

The inaugural flight F7260 was operated by Etihad Regional’s newly branded 50-seat Saab 2000 aircraft, which was greeted by the customary water cannon salute upon arrival at Stuttgart Airport. Etihad Regional is operated by Darwin Airline.

The new route extends the regional carrier’s presence in Germany and enables Etihad to funnel passengers from Stuttgart, a prosperous city which is not served directly by Gulf carriers (Qatar Airways did fly to Stuttgart but suspended services), onto its Geneva flights.

Maurizio Merlo, CEO of Darwin Airline, said: “The new Stuttgart service extends our geographic presence in the German market. The move will create significant benefits for our business and leisure passengers, as well as strengthen the already strong trade and leisure ties between Switzerland and Germany.”

Etihad Regional is embarking on an intensive launch progamme with flights to Cambridge, Valencia, Rome, Lugano, Florence and Toulouse (starting April), Belgrade and Zurich (from May) and Bordeaux, Marseille, Nantes and Verona (beginning June). The summer schedule will include destinations such as Biarritz, Ibiza and Cagliari.

Last week one of its aircraft was damaged while landing in Paris but none of the 16 passengers and three crew members on board were injured (click here).