Etihad Regional, a new European brand operated by Swiss-based regional carrier Darwin Airline, has commenced a three-times-per-week service from Zurich, Switzerland, to Turin, the capital of the Piedmont region of Italy.

The airline officially celebrated the occasion today when flight F7498, operated by Etihad Regional’s newly branded 50-seat Saab 2000 aircraft, touched down at Turin Airport at 8:40am local time.

Turin is a major cultural and business centre located in northern Italy, close to the Alps and the border with France. Its airport serves a region of more than 4.5 million people.

Maurizio Merlo, chief executive officer of Etihad Regional, said: “Etihad Regional is proud to be the first airline to offer a direct air link between Zurich and Turin. The new route will extend our presence in the Italian market, where we already operate to Rome, Florence and Bolzano, and where soon we will also fly to and from Verona.

“Both business and leisure travellers will benefit from the new service, further facilitating the already strong trade and tourism ties between Switzerland and Italy.

“Today demonstrates our strategy to continue building a strong regional airline network linking European cities and towns, which also connects to the global network of our partners, including Etihad Airways and airberlin,” he added.

Roberto Barbieri, CEO of Turin Airport, said: “We are delighted that Etihad Regional has commenced operations here, which will boost the regional economy, and offer the airline’s passengers a convenient new entry point to Italy through our modern and efficient facility.”

Beyond linking Turin and Zurich, the new flights will also offer travellers a convenient way to connect on Etihad Airways’ upcoming services from Zurich to Abu Dhabi.

Flights beyond Abu Dhabi, offered by Etihad Airways and its equity partners, Jet Airways and Virgin Australia connect well with destinations in the Middle East, Indian subcontinent, Asia and Australia. – TradeArabia News Service