Kenya Airways (KQ) has announced the commencement of direct flights to Abu Dhabi, the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, as it grows its presence in the Middle East.

The airline will start operating the service on the route from 01 July, 2013, flying three times a week between Nairobi and Abu Dhabi.

The city of Abu Dhabi is the second KQ destination in the United Arab Emirates, after Dubai where the airline already flies to 10 times a week.

Kenya Airways' Chief Executive Officer and Group Managing Director, Titus Naikuni, said the new route will provide a vital connection between Africa and the Middle East leveraging on the relationship with Etihad Airways.

"These flights are intended to add value to our customers by providing improved connections and more choices of travel into other parts of the Middle East," Dr. Naikuni added.

The launch of flights to Abu Dhabi comes just months after Kenya Airways signed a codeshare agreement with Etihad Airways, the national carrier of the United Arab Emirates. The agreement allows Kenya Airways' passengers to seamlessly connect to Etihad Airways' other destinations, while also ferrying those originating from various Etihad destinations in the Middle East to different parts of Africa through Nairobi.

Abu Dhabi International Airport is the gateway to the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi, a cosmopolitan centre of business and a tourist attraction, has many things to offer visitors and residents including an immensely versatile landscape, a thriving investment hub and a friendly living environment.

Kenya Airways will be flying to the city on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; departing from its Jomo Kenyatta International Airport hub in Nairobi at 19:25 Hours, and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 01:05 the following day. The return flights will leave Abu Dhabi on each of those days at 02:05 Hours and arriving in Nairobiat 05:55 on the same day.

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About Kenya Airways:

Kenya Airways, a member of the Sky Team Alliance, is a leading African airline flying to over 59 destinations worldwide, 40 of which are in Africa,  and carries over three million passengers annually. It continues to modernize its fleet with its 41 aircraft fleet being one of the most modern in Africa.

Its on-board service is renowned and the lie-flat business class seat on the wide-body aircraft is consistently voted among the world's top 10. In 2010, it scooped top awards at the Africa Investor (Ai) Tourism Investor Awards and was declared the Business Airline of the Year in Africa.Kenya Airways takes pride in being at the fore front of connecting Africa to the world and the World to Africa through its hub, Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.