Etihad plans daily flights to Hyderabad in Jan 2010

Etihad Airways has launched flights to the Indian city of Hyderabad and plans to increase them to a daily service from the start of 2010.

The Abu Dhabi airline will initially operate four flights a week to Hyderabad, its seventh Indian destination.

In total the carrier now operates 42 flights to India each week.

James Hogan, Etihad Airways’ chief executive, said: “We are thrilled to launch flights from Abu Dhabi to Hyderabad and to serve the community of Andhra Pradesh. Abu Dhabi and Hyderabad are both growing dynamic cities and the new service will enable commercial ties to develop.

“Etihad has a recognised commitment to serving the Indian market whether it is expatriate Indian nationals who are residing in countries across the world or the business and leisure traffic that is increasingly heading to cities like Hyderabad via our Abu Dhabi base.”

Etihad is operating an Airbus A320 on the new route configured to carry 140 passengers with 20 in business class and 120 in economy class.

Hyderabad is well-known for its rich history, culture and architecture and is also a centre for film-making and is home to the world's largest movie studio, the Ramoji Film City.

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