Etihad Airways has announced it will launch flights to Astana in Kazakhstan next month.
The service, starting in May 7, will be the Abu Dhabi carrier’s second Kazakhstani destination after Almaty.
It will be served using a two-class Airbus A319 with 90 economy and 20 business class seats.
“Since the launch of our Almaty service in December 2008, commercial ties between the UAE and Kazakhstan have been significantly strengthened with several major investment projects being announced in recent months,” said Etihad CEO James Hogan.
“It is against this positive backdrop that we launch our second destination in Kazakhstan, to the country’s capital Astana.”
Flights leaving Abu Dhabi at 10.05am on Thursdays will arrive in Astana at 4.35pm the same day.
The return leg departs Astana at 5.35pm, also on Thursday, and touches down in Abu Dhabi at 8.25pm.
Once the Astana route is launched, Etihad will reduce its Almaty service from four to three-weekly flights.
Kazakhstan has emerged as one the world’s top 20 oil producers since gaining independence in 1990.
The Asian country is expected to pump more than 3.5 million barrels of oil a day next decade.
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