Etihad Airways will increase its services from Abu Dhabi to Saudi Arabia in December and January, providing additional flights to Jeddah and Madinah for Muslims making the annual Hajj Pilgrimage.
In addition to its regular three flights-per-week Jeddah service, Etihad will offer an extra flight to the city on 27 December and Madinah on 19, 22 and 23 December.
Once Hajj has ended, Etihad will provide three additional flights from Jeddah to Abu Dhabi on 3, 4 and 5 January.
“Etihad is delighted to be offering our Guests additional flights during Hajj, which carries such importance to Muslims across the world,” said Geert W. Boven, Vice President Commercial, Etihad Airways.
“As well as carrying UAE-based pilgrims, we also anticipate many Guests will use Etihad’s growing international network of destinations to fly into Abu Dhabi, and connect onwards to Jeddah or Madinah.”
It is the first occasion the UAE’s national airline has offered flights to Jeddah during Hajj following the successful launch of its service in May 2006.
More than two million pilgrims make the journey every year to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is the custodian of the two Holy Mosques in Makkah and Madinah.
The annual journey to Makkah attracts Muslims from across the globe, providing a unique opportunity for pilgrims of all nationalities to gather together at this sacred time.
Makkah is located 73 kilometres inland from Jeddah, with Muslims regarding the al-Masjid al-Haram (The Sacred Mosque) as the holiest place on earth.
Madinah, the second holiest city of Islam, houses the shrine of the Mosque of the Prophet which contains Muhammad's tomb. The first mosque of Islam, the Quba Mosque, is also located in Medinah.
Etihad Airways also offers a non-stop eight flights-per-week service to the Saudi capital Riyadh, and nine flights-per-week to Dammam.
About Etihad Airways
Etihad Airways is the National Airline of the United Arab Emirates and based in the UAE’s capital, Abu Dhabi.
Currently Etihad offers flights for Guests and cargo to 47 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia.
Etihad Crystal Cargo – www.crystalcargo.ae – offers a comprehensive range of cargo services throughout Etihad’s network, and services its many all-cargo destinations and world-wide charters with a fleet of modern regional freighter aircraft.
Etihad Holidays - www.etihadholidays.com - offers a range of innovative holiday options in 82 destinations including skiing, fly-drives, cruises, tours, stopovers, inbound programmes and city breaks.
Through these exciting divisions, Etihad Airways is changing the way people see the world.
Etihad Airways has been awarded the titles of the World’s Leading New Airline in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and the World’s Leading Flat-Bed Seat in 2006 by the World Travel Awards.
Etihad has also been voted the Airline of the Year in the Middle East by the 2006 Pax International Magazine Readership Awards, for its outstanding food and service.
For more information about this award-winning aviation group, please visit www.etihadairways.com.
