Etihad to start flights to Maldives

Travellers considering a luxury holiday in the Maldives will soon be able to catch flights to the destination with Etihad Airways.The airline is set to launch a daily flight from its home base of Abu Dhabi to Male, the capital of the island nation, on 1 November.Subject to government approval, the route will be operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, offering 1,904 seats and a choice of two cabins.

James Hogan, Etihad's chief executive officer, said the airline decided to introduce the flights in response to strong visitor numbers in the Maldives.The launch date has been chosen to coincide with the beginning of the winter travel period in the northern hemisphere.We expect the services will appeal to UAE leisure travellers, as well as customers from our major European markets, particularly with the strong connectivity options on offer and following the additional frequencies that will come online on a number of our key European routes this summer,' added Mr Hogan. Cheap flights, hotels and car hire - let the journey begin!