A new long-haul route operation was officially launched at Václav Havel Airport Prague. Etihad Airways will fly from Prague to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, four times a week. The first flight was traditionally welcomed by the water salute at Prague Airport.
“We are very pleased that, after a number of constructive negotiations, we have managed to establish cooperation with Etihad Airways, which has not serviced our airport before. The new connection to the new airport in Abu Dhabi is another success in our strategy of gradually expanding the range of long-haul flights. We believe that this route will quickly gain popularity among passengers and will offer connections not only to the United Arab Emirates, but also to other destinations in the Etihad network. According to our estimates, over 50 thousand passengers could use it by the end of this year,” Jiří Pos, Chairman of the Prague Airport Board of Directors, said.
Etihad Airways operates the Prague-Abu Dhabi route with a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft, which can transport a total of 290 passengers in Economy and Business Class. The route is available four times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays. “Our new route opens up a range of options for passengers. With this new connection, we are building a bridge between two exceptional regions by connecting passengers from the Middle East to the heart of Europe. Passengers can also take advantage of connecting flights via Abu Dhabi to reach destinations in Asia, Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Australia” Antonoaldo Neves, CEO of Etihad Airways, added.
“Direct flights from distant markets are one of the key conditions for bringing solvent tourists to the Czech Republic. The Etihad Airways connection offers access not only from the United Arab Emirates, but also from more distant places such as India and the whole of Southeast Asia. Last but not least, it is a comfortable and attractive way of travelling which meets the expectations of more demanding clients. It is in these segments that we see significant potential for the Czech Republic and local tourism,” František Reismüller, director of the Czech Tourism Board – CzechTourism, emphasised. According to CzechTourism data, over 379 thousand tourists from the Middle East travelled to the Czech Republic last year. They most often choose Prague and the Karlovy Vary region, where they seek spa services, shopping, and offers tailored to families.
A flight from Prague to Abu Dhabi is a journey to the capital and largest city of the United Arab Emirates, which naturally combines tradition with innovation. Visitors will be captivated by the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, which covers an area of 12 hectares and can accommodate up to 41 thousand worshippers. Art lovers will probably plan a visit of the local branch of the Louvre Museum and take a walk through the interactions of light, air, water, temperature, and sound installations in the TeamLab Phenomena complex. Formula 1 fans can attend the final race of this season, which takes place in December at the Yas Marina Circuit. Yas Island is also home to several amusement parks, which will keep the whole family entertained, including Ferrari World, dedicated to the famous Italian car manufacturer, the extensive Yas WaterWorld water park, and Warnes Bros. World with comic book superheroes such as Batman and Superman.
