Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer of Etihad Airways, was recently in Bali to celebrate the launch of the UAE national airline’s Abu Dhabi–Bali service. “We have been flying to Indonesia for 18 years, with flights to Jakarta twice per day, and we know that Bali has been in high demand for a long time,” he said. “It therefore made good business sense to add Bali to the network when we had the opportunity, and as we continue to expand as an airline.”

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners deployed on the nonstop route feature an Economy-class cabin with comfortable seating, extensive entertainment options, and more. In Business class, lie-flat beds are complemented by a dining experience and soft furnishings designed in partnership with Armani Casa. The heartfelt service from Etihad’s award-winning cabin crew is another highlight. “They are talented individuals who are highly trained to provide a warm, welcoming experience steeped in traditional, generous Emirati hospitality,” De explained.

The top airline executive hopes that Bali frequencies will soon be raised to daily from the current four times a week. Elsewhere in Southeast Asia, Etihad is looking at adding destinations and expanding capacity to Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, and Phuket.

In line with its ambitious Journey 2030 roadmap, Etihad will grow its global network from around 70 destinations at the beginning of this year to 125 by 2030, and double its fleet to 160 aircraft with the aim of carrying 33 million passengers a year. “To do this, we’ve focused on streamlining our operations, building exceptionally talented teams, while retaining our focus on delivering remarkable experiences for our guests,” De added. The top-tier Gulf carrier also hopes to drive more international visitors to its home of Abu Dhabi while bringing the world closer together. “Put simply, we want to be the airline that everyone wants to fly,” he said. “And we’ll do everything we can to fly to the destinations our customers hope to visit, with a world-class product and experience that they will enjoy and remember.”

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