Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), currently offers three weekly flights from Toronto to Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital.
Toronto to Abu Dhabi Etihad flights operate out of Terminal 1 at Pearson International Airport (code YYZ). Abu Dhabi to Toronto (as well as Chicago and New York) flights depart from Terminal 3 of Abu Dhabi International Airport (code AUH).
James Hogan, CEO of Etihad Airways, wants to expand Etihad (EY) Toronto to Abu Dhabi flights to daily service and eventually add flights from other cities in Canada.
Days Etihad flies from Toronto
Non-stop Etihad flights depart from Toronto's Pearson Airport on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays and arrive in Abu Dhabi, UAE, the following day.
Toronto departure time: 10:45 pm. Abu Dhabi arrival time: 7:45 pm. Flight time is 14 hours.
Etihad Airways offers free limousine service to Diamond First Class and Pearl Business Class passengers within a 50-kilometer radius of Toronto's airport. Business and First Class passengers flying Etihad to Abu Dhabi's airport receive complimentary chauffeur service to anywhere in the United Arab Emirates.
Departure times for Etihad Abu Dhabi to Toronto flights
Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi to Toronto depart at 10:20 pm. EY flights arrive in Toronto at 4:20 pm on the same day.
Flying distance between Toronto and Abu Dhabi is 11,138 kilometers (6,918 miles).
Where is Abu Dhabi International Airport? It is located 40 minutes driving distance east of Abu Dhabi and 55 minutes south of Dubai.
Etihad destinations
"Our goal is to fly to and from 100 destinations by 2020," says Vijay Poonoosamy, Vice President, International & Public Affairs for Etihad Airways.
Flights on Etihad Airways currently go to 66 cities in 44 destinations in the Middle East, Europe, North America, Africa and Asia. Routes to and from Abu Dhabi include New York, London (Heathrow), Manchester, Dublin, Paris, Brussels, Munich, Milan, Geneva, Athens, Istanbul, Cairo, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Damascus, Doha, Muscat, Delhi, Kathmandu, Beijing, Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, Singapore, Manila, Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, Australia.
Visitors can book hotels and tours to 80 destinations through Etihad Holidays, a subsidiary of Etihad Airways.
Etihad fleet
"The average age of the Etihad Airways fleet is 3-1/2 years," says James Hogan. Etihad currently has 57 aircraft. By 2013, it will add 106 new Airbus and Boeing planes to its fleet.
Toronto to Abu Dhabi flights use Boeing 777-300s, the largest aircraft in Etihad's fleet. Each flight seats 412 passengers.
Abu Dhabi
James Hogan attributes the rapid growth of Etihad to its excellent service. "Arabian culture is all about hospitality, service and welcomes," he says. "Abu Dhabi is going to be the key city of the Arabian Gulf." Hogan notes that the fast growth of Etihad Airways coincides with the rapid development of the economy and tourism in Abu Dhabi, the largest and most populated Emirate.
Abu Dhabi has a Guggenheim museum and the only Louvre Museum outside Paris, France. Ferrari World, a theme park, features simulators, rollercoasters and a racetrack.
By 2030, Abu Dhabi International Airport will handle 40 million passengers, after the completion of the Midfield Terminal Complex.
Connections between Canada and UAE
According to James Hogan, 30,000 Canadians live in the United Arab Emirates. "UAE has a national ice hockey team, located in Abu Dhabi. The glass and boards for the ice rink came from Canada." Etihad trains pilots on four flight simulators made in Canada.
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Etihad Airways: www.etihadairways.com
