From December 2, Etihad Airways will transfer all its Russian operations to the new International Terminal C at Moscow's Sheremetyevo Alexander S Pushkin International Airport (SVO).
Sheremetyevo Airport is among the top five airport hubs in Europe and the largest Russian airport in terms of passenger and cargo traffic, serving 19.8 million passengers in 2020. The airport opened a third runway in January and can now serve up to 110 million passengers annually across its six terminals.
The first Etihad departure to SVO’s Terminal C will coincide with the 13th anniversary of the airline’s first direct service to Moscow in December 2008. Etihad now operates daily services between Abu Dhabi and Moscow: flight EY63 departs from Abu Dhabi at 9.35am each day, with the return service departing from Moscow at 3.50pm.
Etihad is also entering into a broader partnership with Russia’s national airline group, Aeroflot – Russian Airlines. As a result, Aeroflot will launch its first services to Abu Dhabi, three times weekly, from Saturday, November 13.
“We are proud to announce Etihad will be moving to Moscow’s Sheremetyevo International Airport, and broadening our relationship with the national carrier, Aeroflot,” says Alex Featherstone, vice president network planning and alliances, Etihad Airways.
“Since launching flights between Moscow and Abu Dhabi 13 years ago, we have experienced huge growth in Russia’s tourism and aviation markets, and enjoyed strong demand from business and leisure travellers, as well as cargo, assisted by direct services, codeshare and the Reciprocal Visa-Free Travel Agreement between the two nations implemented in February 2019.
"The move also further reinforces our commitment to the Russia market, and our intention to offer our Russian guests easier access to the world-class leisure attractions and events, cultural sites, hotels and resorts, beaches, and great winter weather that Abu Dhabi has to offer," says Featherstone.
