Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways launches inaugural flight to Guangzhou

Abu Dhabi’s Etihad Airways launches inaugural flight to Guangzhou

Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways has launched its first scheduled flight to Guangzhou. The inaugural flight, EY868, departed Abu Dhabi on October 10 and touched down at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport this morning at 10.25am local time. The new twice-weekly service will be operated via a two-class Boeing 777. The launch of the scheduled services between the two cities has grown Etihad’s network to 67 destinations across 45 countries. The flight has also made Etihad the first international airline to operate long-haul passenger services to the top three Chinese gateways – Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou – since the start of the pandemic. The carrier resumed flights to Shanghai in July 2020 and to Beijing in June 2022. “We have been tremendously excited about the launch of this service,” said Tony Douglas, group chief executive officer, Etihad Aviation Group. “Guangzhou is actually the latest destination to be opened in China by Etihad since the launch of the Abu Dhabi–Shanghai route back in 2012. It will continue to help build a solid air bridge for commerce and cultural exchanges between China and the UAE.”