East Anglia: New era for international travel from Cambridge under deal between Darwin and Etihad

A new era of worldwide travel will begain at Cambridge International Airport next week with the launch of an inter-airline agreement involving Etihad, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates.

From Monday, Swiss-based carrier Darwin Airline will be offering connections between its services to four key European destinations, using 50-seat SAAB 2000 aircraft, and Etihad flights to its Abu Dhabi hub and beyond, including links to the Far East and Australasia.

Under the agreement, passengers and their baggage can be checked-in at Cambridge all the way through to their final Etihad-ticketed destination.

This will make for easy connections between Darwin and Etihad services at Amsterdam, Paris Charles de Gaule, Geneva and Milan Malpensa airports, with baggage being transferred directly between flights without having to be retrieved by the traveller.

David Surley, head of business and route development at Cambridge International Airport, said, “This agreement gives Cambridge a new and truly worldwide reach, connecting on to Etihad Airways, one of the world’s most exciting and fast-growing carriers. It is excellent news for passengers and businesses across the East of England.”

Christian Schneider, chief commercial office at Darwin Airline, added: “The convenience of this tie-up is great for our passengers.

“Etihad Airways is a fantastic airline and we are thrilled to be able to link its long-haul flights to ours via all four European points serviced directly from Cambridge.

“It is really something very special for the long-haul traveller, offering excellent choice, every day of the week. You can fly out via Amsterdam, back via Paris, or whichever connection works best.

“Cambridge to Abu Dhabi takes from just eight hours and Cambridge to the Maldives from approximately 14 and a half hours, which is very competitive.”

Passengers can book flights from Cambridge Inter-national Airport to Etihad Airways destinations worldwide through major tour operators and travel agents, including destinations in Australia and New Zealand covered by Etihad’s partnership with Virgin Australia.