Air Berlin starts four weekly flights to Abu Dhabi

Germany's second-largest airline airberlin yesterday launched flights to Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi Airports Company (ADAC) welcomed the first airberlin flight to Abu Dhabi International Airport with traditional water cannons and greeted by James E. Bennett, CEO of ADAC, James Hogan, President and CEO of Etihad Airways, and Hartmut Mehdorn, CEO of airberlin. Airberlin will operate four weekly non-stop flights between Berlin and Abu Dhabi, with travellers now enjoying access to a total of 29 flights a week between Abu Dhabi and four German hubs, with a plan to increase the service to 42 flights from mid-April. Etihad Airways and airberlin integrated their frequent flyer programmes from January 15, as part of the rollout of their recent partnership. Etihad Guest and airberlin top bonus frequent flyer programme members will earn awards and status miles on each other's airlines. Bennett said: "Airberlin is our first new airline in 2012 and this new route demonstrates the confidence of leading airlines in the potential of Abu Dhabi as an international tourism and trade hub. We wish them every success and look forward to seeing even more services from Abu Dhabi." The new Berlin-Abu Dhabi route was launched following Etihad Airways' agreement with airberlin increasing its stake to 29.21 per cent and seeing Etihad Airways becoming the biggest single shareholder in the European airline. Airberlin will start operating flights every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday, using A330-200 aircraft. Airberlin flights from Abu Dhabi to the German capital will be on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.