Jet Airways is set to restart its daily flights to New York with a stopover at Abu Dhabi from May 1.
The airline, which stopped its flights to New York last year due to losses on the route, currently flies to Toronto via Brussels. The restarting of the flight comes after Abu Dhabi-based Etihad Airways picked up a 24% stake for about R2,058 crore in the Naresh Goya-promoted airline in November.
According to the deal, Jet Airways will now use Abu-Dhabi as a gateway for its West-bound flights. Etihad Airways on Wednesday said that it will introduce a new daily flight between Abu Dhabi and New York City from March 1 to provide additional one-stop links to the US for Indian travelers.
“The new flights will be operated by Etihad Airways with two tri-class Boeing 777-300ER aircraft to be leased from Jet Airways. From May 1, Jet Airways will operate these flights,” the airline said in a release.
At present, Etihad Airways flies a Boeing 777-300ER, EY101, daily between Abu Dhabi and New York.
New York is one of the airline?s most popular destinations, not only for guests flying from Abu Dhabi but also for travelers from a wide range of connecting destinations, including India, president and chief executive officer of Etihad Airways, James Hogan, said.
?These services will provide not only greater access to New York but also evidence of Abu Dhabi?s growing importance as a global air transport hub,? he said.
?Our decision to lease aircraft from Jet Airways also illustrates one of the broader benefits available through our strategic partnership.?
The new Abu Dhabi-New York flight has been scheduled to connect with evening services by Etihad Airways, Jet Airways or both carriers arriving from four Indian cities ?Mumbai, Delhi, Cochin and Chennai.
