Etihad Airways has made a highly-anticipated return to Kolkata in West Bengal, after resuming seven weekly nonstop services that will connect the city with the rest of the world via Abu Dhabi. The first flight, EY256, departed from Abu Dhabi at 13:50 local time on the 26th of March and arrived at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport at 20:10 local time the same day.
Passengers on the inaugural flight were welcomed with a cake-cutting ceremony and celebration attended by Etihad and Kolkata Airport executives upon arrival. The return flight, EY257, departed from Kolkata at 21:05 local time on the same day, landing in Abu Dhabi shortly after midnight.
Etihad Airways Chief Revenue Officer, Arik De, expressed his delight in re-establishing the crucial air link with East India and supporting the growing demand for travel from the region. The flights will be operated with an Airbus A320 aircraft, featuring eight seats in Business Class and 150 in Economy.
Etihad Airways passengers flying from Kolkata to the United States can also take advantage of the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) facility in Abu Dhabi International Airport, the only US immigration preclearance service in the region. This service enables passengers to clear US immigration while still in Abu Dhabi.
