Oct 12, 2016: Etihad Airways is expanding its presence at DFW International Airport, with plans to add four more weekly flights starting next year.

The airline plans to begin offering daily flights from DFW to its hub in Abu Dhabi on February 2. Since entering the DFW market in 2014, Etihad has offered nonstop flights to Abu Dhabi three days a week — Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. “Since launching our Dallas/Fort Worth service less than two years ago, the response from our guests travelling between Dallas/Fort Worth and our home Abu Dhabi and beyond has exceeded expectations,” Etihad Aviation Group’s chief strategy and planning officer Kevin Knight said in a prepared statement. “The increased frequency will provide greater convenience and more options to business and leisure travelers throughout the Texas region, and will also cater to the huge travel market from India and the subcontinent to and from our Dallas/Fort Worth gateway and beyond.” Etihad will continue operating its DFW flights on Boeing 777-200LR aircraft with eight first class, 40 business class and 191 economy seats. The flights will depart DFW at 7:20 pm and arrive in Abu Dhabi the following day at 8:15 p.m. local time. The airline will receive an estimated $1.7 million in incentives from the airport under a program meant to increase international service at DFW. The incentive program does not involve taxpayer dollars. Etihad is codeshare partners with American Airlines, which allows the airlines to market each other’s flights to their respective customers. Etihad is also one of three Middle Eastern carriers — along with Emirates and Qatar Airways — that have drawn the ire of U.S. carriers including American over allegations that the Gulf carriers receive unfair governmental subsidies. Etihad, Emirates and Qatar have repeatedly denied the charge. Over the last two years US carriers have petitioned the federal government to investigate the alleged anti-competitive behavior. However, the State Department indicated this summer that it would not open formal discussions on the matter with Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, instead bringing it up at more informal diplomatic meetings. In addition to connecting Texans to the Middle East, Etihad has an extensive network throughout Africa, Southeast Asia and the Indian subcontinent that it connects passengers to. The airline flies 45 weekly flights to six American cities: Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, Washington, DC, Chicago and Dallas-Fort Worth.

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