Almaty International Airport
welcomes ETIHAD AIRWAYS
with their new Almaty - Abu-Dhabi flight 

December 02, 2008
own information

On December 02, 2008 presentation of Etihad Airways,
the National airline of the United Arab Emirates
that launches its flights by the route Almaty – Abu-Dhabi
took place at Almaty International Airport

Mr. Toibayev Askar Yendybayevich, Deputy Head, Passenger Transport and Highway Department of Almaty, Mr. Abishev Serik Ibratovich, Vise President, Almaty International Airport JSC, and Mrs. Oxana Swetenko, Kazakhstan Regional Manager, Etihad participated in the solemn ceremony.

Mrs. Swetenko stressed the point that: “Etihad Airways is the dynamically growing company with professional team and I hope it will take reputable position in the Kazakhstani market. Airline with five-year history has a great number of awards world-wide and I am sure our fellow citizens will appraise its first-class service and Arabian hospitality”.

Administration of Almaty International Airport arranged a meeting of the first flight arrived from the UAE with water fountain wherethrough the first arrived flight went to building of terminal.

National airline of the United Arab Emirates Etihad Airways starts operating the direct flights between Almaty and Abu Dhabi.

New flight is operated for four times per week. Schedule is made in such a way that gives opportunity to carry out long-hauls to main business centers and resting places all over the world.

Launch of new flight of Etihad Airways in Kazakhstan is a part of its global strategy of development and expansion of flight geography, rendering of first-rate services from Abu Dhabi airport to the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, and the North America.

Flights are operated on aircraft A319 equipped with 20 seats in Business class and 84 seats in Economy class.

Almaty is the ninth route of Etihad Airways in its endeavor to continue developing of route network to regions of Asia and Atlantic which already includes flight to the following cities: Brisbane, Sydney, Manila, Djakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, and Beijing.

James Hogan, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: “Almaty is an excellent complement to our expanding global network. New route in the heart of Eurasia will pave the way for important air bridge between Kazakhstan and the United Arab Emirates helping in trade, tourism, and economic development of these countries”.

“Etihad” being Arabic for “United” manages one of the youngest air fleet in the world conforming to all environmental requirements.
Air fleet of ETIHAD AIRWAYS is to include 42 aircraft by the end of the year 2008 with further expanding of aircraft fleet up to 52 units by the end of the year 2011. ETIHAD AIRWAYS plan to carry over six million of passengers till the end of the current year.

Abu Dhabi is the largest emirate in the UAE and capital of the state as well. With perfect location between East and West, Abu Dhabi becomes a center of business and tourist development which combines with reach cultural heritage with amazing future development plans.

On September 30 the new runway accepted the first aircraft of Air Astana airlines operated by the route Pavlodar - Almaty. Pilots highly appraised its quality and technical characteristics.

Alena Kochneva
 PR assistant to the President, Almaty International Airport
tel.: +7 (727) 388-8773
cell: +7 (701) 722-1619
AKochneva@alaport.com