The first Etihad Airways flight from Abu Dhabi to Warsaw landed this morning in the Polish capital at 6.37am local time.
Flight EY 159 – a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner – took off from Terminal A at Zayed International Airport approximately six hours earlier at 2.40am local time.
The new route, the third of 16 that the airline is launching in 2025, will now operate four times a week on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The medium-haul 787-9 Dreamliner features 28 business-class seats and 262 economy seats, and the plane was nearly full.
After the plane arrived at Zayed International Airport's gate C27, crew and staff took pictures underneath a celebratory arch before take off.
“I'm very excited to be here representing Etihad on the inaugural flight to Warsaw,” Etihad chief financial officer Raffael Quintas tells The National.
“It's the first flight to Warsaw. Our inaugural flight to Prague was yesterday and our inaugural flight to Sochi was a few weeks ago. It's an exciting year for Etihad, with 20 new planes also coming.”
Last week, Etihad launched a competition among its Etihad Guest frequent flyers members to win up to five million miles by flying to each of the airline’s new year-round destinations launching in 2025. Some of them were on the flight to Warsaw.
“An inaugural flight is always a big event for an aviation geek like me, but this year is special because of the competition,” says frequent flyer Lays Laraya.
An inaugural flight is also special for the pilot and co-pilot. Captain Eisa Ahmed Al Ali says: “I joined in 2008 and went through training to reach the role of captain. I'm really excited to be doing the first Warsaw flight.”
Senior first officer Mateusz Lukas Perz, who is from Warsaw, adds: “I joined last year in the middle of October and before that I was flying out of Warsaw, my home base.
“I'm so happy to take people there to show them the city, our Polish hospitality and cuisine, which is really amazing.”
He advises travellers to try pierogies, which are “like a Polish dumpling and highly recommend”.
Cabin crew member Marta, who is also from Poland, suggests travellers explore Warsaw Old Town. “It's a Unesco site,” she says. “It might not be the most beautiful compared to places like Barcelona, but it's very special as it was rebuilt with survivors' hands after the Second World War.”
Warsaw is the largest city in Poland, attracting millions of tourists each year. Alongside the Old Town, major attractions include the Royal Castle, once home to the Polish monarchy, and the Warsaw Uprising Museum, which charts the uprising during the Second World War.
Arriving in Warsaw, the aircraft was greeted by a water cannon salute, followed by an arrival ceremony near baggage claim. WAW Chopin Airport is one of two airports used for commercial flights in the Polish capital and is approximately a 25-minute drive or 30-minute train ride from the city centre. There is only one terminal in the airport and it is small and easy to navigate.
“Our new Prague and Warsaw services open doors to countless possibilities,” Etihad chief executive Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement ahead of the journey. “These new routes create a bridge between two remarkable regions, connecting travellers from the Middle East to the heart of Central Europe, while offering seamless connections via Abu Dhabi to destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Asia, the Indian Subcontinent and Australia.”
The first Etihad flight from Warsaw to Abu Dhabi, EY 160, is scheduled to take off at 11.20am local time (1.30pm GST) on June 3.
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