Etihad Airways ups Beijing to Abu Dhabi flights

BEIJING - Etihad Airways, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), plans to expand its Abu Dhabi to Beijing service to seven days a week this year and begin non-stop flights to Shanghai in 2011 or 2012, a top executive from the airline said on Tuesday.

Increasing demand from the Chinese market is the main reason for the company to increase flight frequency and open more routes, said James Hogan, chief executive officer of the company.

Etihad Airways started operating its first Abu Dhabi to Beijing flights in China in March 2008, flying weekly at that time. Currently the airline plies the route five days a week.