UAE’s national airline Etihad Airways is set to provide a new air bridge between Abu Dhabi and Vienna, as it places its EY code on the Austrian carrier and subsidiary of airberlin, NIKI.

The new NIKI flights will start on November 24 and will be operated by a two-cabin A320 aircraft, configured to carry 12 passengers in Business Class and 132 in Economy class, said a statement.

James Hogan, Etihad’s president and chief executive officer, said: “Etihad Airways is delighted to add its code to the new daily NIKI service to Vienna, connecting Abu Dhabi with one of Europe's leading cultural, economic, and political centres.

“Vienna has been a popular destination for Etihad’s passengers for several years, connecting to the Austrian capital from cities across our network. To offer a non-stop flight from our hub, working alongside our colleagues at NIKI, will cater for this considerable demand.”

Vienna has a population of 2.4 million people within the metropolitan area, which equates to more than 20 per cent of Austria's population and it is the seventh largest city by population within city limits in the European Union, said the statement.

In addition to being a major year-round tourist destination, Vienna is home to many major international organisations such as the United Nations and Opec, it added. - TradeArabia News Serivce