Etihad Airways launched its flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the Abu Dhabi – Geneva route on March 24, beginning with the summer schedule.

Geneva is the second Swiss destination after Zurich served by Etihad Airways’ next generation aircraft which is fast becoming the backbone of the Abu Dhabi-based carrier’s long-haul fleet. The three-class aircraft, featuring eight First Suites, 28 Business Studios and 199 Economy Smart Seats, replaces the Airbus A330s previously operating daily on the route, and offers additional cargo capacity.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted that Switzerland, one of our most attractive markets for both business and leisure travellers, will now be exclusively served by our flagship Boeing 787 Dreamliner.”

“In addition to maintaining attractive timings for guests travelling between Abu Dhabi and Geneva, we will create further suitable connections in many markets that will benefit more travellers to conveniently connect to Geneva via our Abu Dhabi hub. Through our optimised schedule, more business and leisure guests from an increasing number of destinations will now have the opportunity to experience our next generation aircraft throughout their journey with us.”

The new generation aircraft’s environmental performance brings a number of operational advantages, such as a 12 per cent reduction in fuel consumption compared to the previous aircraft on the route and a concomitant substantial reduction in carbon dioxide emissions.

Another advantage of the Dreamliner’s new technology is the noise emissions that now lie significantly below the permissible limits.

Introduction of the 787 Dreamliner will also see a scheduling change that will optimise timing for guests travelling to and from Geneva. Etihad Airways will maintain an early morning arrival into Geneva and operate a revised mid-morning return service that will improve connectivity to a wider network of destinations across Asia and Australia, including Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Melbourne, Perth, Singapore, Sydney and Tokyo.

Etihad Airways guests to Switzerland also benefit from Etihad Airways codeshare flights with Swiss connecting Geneva with Zurich and Zurich with Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways currently has a fleet of 19 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners operating from Abu Dhabi to 18 destinations worldwide – Amman, Amsterdam, Beijing, Beirut, Brisbane, Düsseldorf, Geneva, Madrid, Melbourne, Nagoya, Perth, Riyadh, Seoul, Shanghai, Singapore, Tokyo, Washington and Zurich.

Etihad Airways’ Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners provide the highest levels of comfort, entertainment and in-flight connectivity. On-board décor and lighting have been inspired by contemporary Arabian design, including the spectacular dome of the newly-opened Louvre Abu Dhabi, complementing the signature ‘Facets of Abu Dhabi’ identity introduced by the airline during its livery relaunch in 2014. Etihad Airways has pending deliveries of 52 Dreamliners. - TradeArabia News Service