Vietnam joins Etihad flight network

Manila, Philippines - Etihad Airways will launch daily flights to Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s commercial capital and most populous city, in October 2013.

 It will be Etihad Airways’ sixth online destination within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, joining Bangkok, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, and Singapore.

 In conjunction with its partner airlines, the new Ho Chi Minh City service extends Etihad Airways’ total flight network reach to 21 ASEAN destinations.

 The new air services to Ho Chi Minh City are set to meet growing demand from Vietnam’s rapidly expanding economy and will support the country’s increasing commercial ties with the United Arab Emirates, and in particular Abu Dhabi.

 James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and chief executive officer, said: “We are delighted to announce the introduction of Ho Chi Minh City to the Etihad Airways’ global flight network. Like our home-base of Abu Dhabi, it is a vibrant, culturally rich and expanding city popular with business and leisure travellers.”

 “The route will be ideal to carry passengers and cargo point-to-point from the United Arab Emirates, as well as from Etihad Airways destinations in the Middle East, Europe, and North and South America,” he said.

The new flight services will further support joint UAE and Vietnam government ventures in areas of energy, infrastructure, tourism, and civil construction. UAE investment in Vietnam now stands at more than $3 billion and two-way trade revenue approximately $1.3 billion.

Hogan added: “Etihad Airways has a strong South East Asian network and the addition of daily services to Ho Chi Minh City underlines our commitment to this region that continues to experience strong commercial growth across many industries, especially tourism, manufacturing and technology.”

Tran Ngoc Thach, ambassador of Vietnam to the UAE, said: “I believe that Etihad’s direct flights to Vietnam will contribute to improving understanding between the two peoples of Viet Nam and the UAE. More and more tourists will come to Viet Nam and a greater number of tourists will come to the UAE. They will also help to increase trade and tourism between our two countries for the benefit of the people and countries.”