Etihad Airways has announced its intention to double its routes to Africa over the next year.
As part of the drive, the Abu Dhabi-based airline has announced three new African routes in the past two months, adding more destinations and frequencies to its services.
Currently, Etihad serves four African destinations: Johannesburg, South Africa; Cairo, Egypt; Mahe, Seychelles; and Casablanca, Morocco.
On 15 December, the airline will resume flights to Nairobi, Kenya, and next year will launch new routes to Tunis, Tunisia; Algiers, Algeria; and Al Alamein, Egypt.
Arik De, Etihad’s Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer, said: “As we prepare to return to Nairobi, Kenya next month, we are committed to growing our network in Africa and doubling our destinations over the next year. We are expanding our frequencies, including boosting both Johannesburg and Casablanca to daily services from next summer. This expansion will connect our guests across the continent with our growing network and bring them to our fantastic home in Abu Dhabi.
“Currently, we serve four cities with 39 frequencies a week. By next summer, this will increase to 50 frequencies a week to six cities, and by this time next year, we will reach 57 frequencies a week to eight cities.
“And we are not stopping there. We recently announced ten new global destinations, including Tunis and Algiers, and plan to announce at least ten more each year as we grow towards 2030. These will include new cities in Africa, and our goal is to make all of these flights daily. We are growing sustainably and offering our customers across Africa the flights and frequencies that make sense to them and fit with our global network.”
Etihad also enhances connectivity through its codeshare and interline partnerships with several African airlines, including Airlink South Africa, Air Seychelles, Royal Air Maroc, and EgyptAir. These partnerships allow Etihad to offer more convenient travel options and seamless connections for guests travelling to and from Africa.
As Etihad continues to expand its global network through its world-leading hub at Zayed International Airport, an increasing number of guests from African cities are taking advantage of the airline’s free stopover offer. In collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, travellers booking flights with Etihad can easily add a stopover and enjoy a complimentary hotel stay for one or two nights at a selection of premier hotels across the city.
