Etihad Airways adds three weekly belly services to Philippines

December 29, 2015

Etihad Airways will add three new weekly bellyhold services between Abu Dhabi and Manila from 1 May 2016, offering a total of 17 return flights per week.

Etihad Airways’ president and chief executive officer, James Hogan says:  “The Abu Dhabi-Manila route is one of our strongest in terms of demand and has been capacity-constrained over the past few years.

“The new services will increase capacity between the two cities by almost 2,500 seats per week enabling Etihad Airways to better serve the market in the UAE and the Philippines for point-to-point travel.”

Hogan says the extra capacity would also enable Etihad Airways and its partner airlines in Europe to grow the business and leisure travel market from the UAE and countries such as the UK, France, and Italy.

The additional frequency is expected to boost commerce and trade between the UAE and the Philippines. With a bellyhold capacity of 18 tonnes, the Boeing 777-300ER offers the airline and its freight customers a significant opportunity to grow the export/import business, particularly in the area of electronics and fresh food.

James Graham

James Graham is an award-winning transport media journalist with a long background in the commercial freight sector, including commercial aviation and the aviation supply chain. He was the initial Air Cargo Week journalist and retuned later for a stint as editor. He continues his association as editor of the monthly supplements. He has reported for the newspaper from global locations as well as the UK.