OREANDA-NEWS. Etihad Airways announced it will launch new international service from Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) International Airport three times a week to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, starting on December 3, 2014. Etihad Airways will operate the Dallas/Fort Worth route with Boeing 777-200LR aircraft featuring a three-class design.

“We are thrilled to have Etihad Airways bring its highly respected international service to Dallas/Fort Worth,” said Sean Donohue, Chief Executive Officer of DFW Airport. “Etihad Airways has established a reputation for excellence, and we are confident that DFW customers will be eager to take advantage of the new route for travel to the Middle East and beyond.”

“The United States is one of Etihad Airways' most important global markets and we are delighted to add Dallas/Fort Worth, a key U.S. destination and hub, to our flight network, bringing the number of American cities we will serve to five by the end of 2014,” said James Hogan, Etihad Airways' President and Chief Executive Officer. “The new service will also strengthen the deep commercial and bilateral ties between the United Arab Emirates and the United States.”

The addition of Etihad Airways further extends DFW's record expansion of air service, in which the Airport has added 23 new international services and ten new airline partners in the past three years. With this announcement, Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport now serves a total of 206 destinations, with Abu Dhabi set to become DFW's 58th international destination.

“This new flight from Etihad Airways demonstrates that the Dallas/Fort Worth region continues to grow as one of the most vital business and tourism centers in the world, and it demonstrates the continuing benefit of having a world-class airport to help drive international growth,” said Donohue. “We are confident the combination of DFW Airport and Etihad Airways will create an outstanding travel experience for customers.”

Etihad Airways offers travelers connections from Abu Dhabi to over 90 destinations around the world. Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, began commercial operations in November 2003. Since then, Etihad Airways has gone on to become the fastest growing airline in the history of commercial aviation, and has been named 'World's Leading Airline' at the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years.

The Etihad Airways service is expected to produce an additional USD 90 million in annual economic impact to the Dallas/Fort Worth region in terms of additional visitors, business ties and investments, according to DFW Airport estimates.