Etihad Airways will boost the number of seats to Melbourne as demand for travel to and from Australia grows.
The Abu Dhabi carrier is adding a Boeing 777-300 ER aircraft to the route from Sunday. The plane has 328 seats, 36 more than the Airbus A340-600 currently used for the Melbourne route.
The capital is becoming a busier hub for long-haul travel between Asia and the West.
James Hogan, Etihad’s president and chief executive, said its flights between Melbourne and Abu Dhabi were among the carrier’s strongest performers.
“This year, load factors between the two cities have averaged more than 80 per cent,” he said.
“Switching to the Boeing 777 gives us 12 per cent more seats overall and 2 per cent more in business class.”
Mr Hogan said that provided growth opportunities for the airline’s cargo division.
“The Boeing 777 offers a bellyhold cargo capacity of around 14 to 16 tonnes, which allows us to capitalise on Australia’s strong trading relationship with the UAE,” he said.
Trade between the UAE and Australia exceeded US$5 billion last year.
Etihad currently offers 97 passenger and cargo destinations. It has a fleet of 86 Airbus and Boeing aircraft and more than 220 jets on firm order.
The carrier also plans to launch Etihad Regional in the first quarter of next year after its acquisition of a 33 per cent stake in Switzerland’s Darwin Airline.
Etihad Regional will connect passengers from secondary European markets to Etihad’s main network.
More than 12 million passengers travelled through Abu Dhabi’s airport in the first nine months of this year, up 12 per cent year on year.
Abu Dhabi Airports Company is expanding the aviation hub with the construction of the Midfield Terminal Building, which is set for completion in 2017.
The airport’s current capacity enhancement programme will accommodate more than 17 million passengers a year. Last year, Etihad carried more than 10.3 million passengers.
Meanwhile, Dubai's successful bid to host Expo 2020 will benefit the country's travel and tourism sector, as more than 25 million visitors are expected to visit the UAE for the event, according to Deutsche Bank.
thamid@thenational.ae
