UAE's national airline Etihad Airways yesterday (June 18) kicked off its year-round service to the Portuguese capital Lisbon with three flights a week - Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Sundays - from its operational hub Abu Dhabi.

The Abu Dhabi-Lisbon operations will be serviced by a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft offering 28 seats in Business and 262 seats in Economy, entertainment systems, in-seat power, and in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity.

The inaugural flight, EY63, took off from Abu Dhabi Airport, in the presence of Fernando d'Orey de Brito e Cunha Figueirinhas, Ambassador of Portugal to the UAE and Chris Hedlin, Etihad’s Vice President Network Planning.

To celebrate the first flight, guests on board were offered special menu items including custard tarts, a traditional Portuguese delicacy.

All guests were treated to gifts including luxury chocolates by Emirati brand Mirzam in Business class and a unique commemorative luggage tag for guests in Economy.

On touching down for the first time in Lisbon on Sunday, the pilots waved both the UAE and Portuguese flags from the cockpit to celebrate the occasion.

Lisbon is Europe’s second oldest capital city and offers visitors a rich history, picturesque beaches, breathtaking architecture and a vibrant nightlife.

CEO Antonoaldo Neves said: "As we continue to expand our global network, we’re thrilled to be flying for the first time to Lisbon. We look forward to welcoming guests to visit the historic city of Lisbon while also connecting the people of Portugal with the UAE and destinations across the Middle East, Asia and Australia."

Initially announced as a seasonal route, Etihad Airways has now extended the service through to the winter season to make it a year-round operation, as a result of strong travel demand.

Lisbon was recently voted as the "Leading City Break Destination" and "Leading Seaside Metropolitan Destination" at the 2022 European edition of the World Travel Awards, proving its appeal to holidaymakers.

The inaugural flight to Lisbon coincides with the launch of Etihad’s summer season flights to the Greek island of Mykonos which commenced on 16 June and Málaga on 18 June. Guests flying on the inaugural flights to each destination were treated to commerorative gifts from Etihad to mark the occasion.

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