Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, will launch direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Sanaa from September 1.

The Yemeni capital will be the airline's eighth destination on the Arabian Peninsula. Flights to Sanaa will operate four times a week, a report said.

"The launch of direct services to Sana'a is consistent with our strategy of adding depth and scale to our network and targeting areas of growth in emerging markets,’ said James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer.

"The ancestral, cultural and business ties between the two countries are significant, and we believe the new service will further facilitate Yemen's economic development in the months and years ahead."

The route will be operated by a two-class Airbus A320 aircraft with 16 seats in Pearl Business Class and 120 seats in Coral Economy Class.