Advertisement
Gothenburg gets year-round flights to Abu Dhabi
In August, Etihad Airways announced it would launch a new direct route between Gothenburg and Abu Dhabi. Following enormous demand since bookings opened, the airline has now confirmed that the route will operate year-round.
- The fact that Etihad is expanding even before operations begin is excellent news and a clear sign that there has long been high demand for a direct connection between Gothenburg and the United Arab Emirates. The new route will improve accessibility for the region, particularly to the Middle East, India and South-East Asia. This initiative shows there is strong confidence in the Swedish aviation market and western Sweden as a region, says Mats Johannesson, CEO of Swedavia, in a press comment.
The strong demand has come from both directions: travellers in western Sweden are booking trips to Abu Dhabi and the rest of the Gulf region – and onwards to Asia and Australia – while travellers across Etihad's network have discovered Scandinavia, which previously lacked a direct connection to the region.
Advertisement
- Three weeks after bookings opened, the market has shown that we underestimated Gothenburg, and we are pleased to have revised our view. Being able to confirm a year-round route at such an early stage of the sales period is a strong signal, and something we intend to build on. Western Sweden has been waiting for this connection, and the response has been positive in both directions. Gothenburg is one of Europe's most underrated cities, and we are pleased to be the airline opening up the city to Abu Dhabi and onwards to the world, says Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways.
From 17 December 2026, Etihad will operate Göteborg Landvetter Airport (GOT) – Abu Dhabi (AUH) four times a week with an Airbus A321LR, with seating capacity for 160 passengers across three different classes (First, Business and Economy).
