Etihad Airways continues to announce enhanced or increased services across its route map on what seems to be a monthly basis. Following the carrier’s announcement that it would add eight new routes in June 2024, the Abu Dhabi-based airline has just announced it will be increasing the frequency of its Boston flights to a daily frequency later in 2024.
The additional services to the northeastern US city will be added on October 27, 2024, taking the nonstop service from the current four flights per week to a daily service from Abu Dhabi’s Zayed International Airport (AUH). According to the carrier, the increase in frequencies will “offer North American corporate and leisure travelers more choice and flexibility when planning trips to the UAE and beyond to the Gulf region and the Indian subcontinent.”
An airline statement said that the decision to increase its Boston flights to daily was based on the route’s strong performance so far and comes just three months after the company introduced Boston (BOS) as its fifth destination in North America. The city joined Chicago, New York, Washington, and Toronto, and further expanded Etihad’s North American footprint.
“Our Boston service continues to perform strongly, with our flights near capacity since our inaugural flight in Boston this March,” said Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad. “Having already experienced record passenger demand, we’re excited to invest further in the North American market by expanding our flight frequency out of Boston ahead of the peak winter travel season.”
Etihad’s daily flights from Boston Logan International Airport to Abu Dhabi are all operated by its 33-strong fleet of Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, each of which seat 28 business class passengers and 262 in economy class.
According to the carrier, its Boston services are timed to provide for business and leisure travelers convenient onward connections in Abu Dhabi to destinations across the UAE, and the Gulf region, as well as to the airline’s eleven nonstop routes into India. Additionally, Etihad’s partnership with JetBlue provides onward connections to numerous cities throughout North America served by the US airline.
As a unique service provided to all US-bound passengers departing from Zayed International Airport, the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility at the airport enables passengers to clear US immigration and customs inspections before boarding their flight. This allows travelers to arrive in the US as domestic passengers, meaning they simply collect their baggage and leave the airport without the need for any further checks. The facility in Abu Dhabi is the only CBP facility in the Middle East.
Toronto to welcome the Airbus A350
In addition to increasing flight frequencies out of Boston on October 27, 2024, Etihad will also begin flying its Airbus A350 aircraft on its once-daily service to Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) on the same date.
These aircraft accommodate 44 business class passengers in ‘Business Studios’ that provide each guest with enhanced privacy within their suite. They also carry a total of 347 passengers in economy class, with 45 of these seats offering extra legroom as an economy plus option.
“The Airbus A350 is setting new standards for air travel, with increased efficiencies and comfort,” said Arik De. “The introduction of the A350 to Toronto aligns with our strategy to meet increasing customer demand and expand our network.”
According to ch-aviation, the airline currently operates a fleet of five Airbus A350-1000 aircraft with a further 15 on order due for delivery in the coming years.