Etihad Airways will add new aircraft, new routes, additional flights and new airport lounge facilities to its operations in Australia.
President and CEO James Hogan said Australia was a key and long-term market for Etihad and one for which there were exciting growth plans.
The airline’s plans for Australia include:
An Airbus A380 aircraft from Sydney and Melbourne to Abu Dhabi
Construction of premium lounges at Sydney and Melbourne Airports from 2014
Additional flights from Melbourne and Brisbane to Abu Dhabi
Commencement of nonstop flights between Perth and Abu Dhabi
Hogan also reaffirmed that Etihad Airways was moving to increase its equity in Virgin Australia, following recent approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board to increase from a 10% shareholding to 19.9%.
"Etihad Airways is an active and long-term investor in Virgin," he said.
Etihad Airways equity alliance now has five members, following a deal last week to invest in Serbia’s national airline.
Etihad also is awaiting regulatory approval for investment in a sixth airline, India’s Jet Airways.
