Etihad celebrated its striking new Chennai Super Kings (CSK) livery as it made its inaugural flight from Abu Dhabi to Chennai, India. The first Airbus A320neo to be operated by a UAE carrier landed at 2.55pm local time in Chennai, and was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute.
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Three of CSK’s newest team members, Gurjapneet Singh, Rahul Tripathi and Vijay Shankar, met the aircraft as it arrived in Chennai and performed a special welcome announcement for guests on board. During the flight, guests were surprised with sweet treats celebrating the CSK partnership.
Connecting Indian travellers
The CSK livery will predominantly connect Abu Dhabi to a range of destinations in India and across Etihad’s short-haul network. Etihad operates 181 flights per week to 11 Indian cities, connecting Indian guests to a wide range of destinations across the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America. In 2024, the airline launched new routes to Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, as well as the ‘pink city’ of Jaipur and added frequencies to key gateways of Mumbai and Delhi.
As Etihad expands its global network, an increasing number of guests from Indian cities are taking advantage of Etihad’s free stopover promotion. Travellers booking flights directly on Etihad.com can enjoy a complimentary hotel stay for one or two nights at a selection of premier hotels across the city, as they transit through Etihad’s world-leading hub at Zayed International Airport.
Etihad’s special liveries
Etihad’s fleet includes several special liveries that carry the brands of its global partners to destinations far and wide. This includes the iconic true-blue livery of the Manchester City FC themed Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix themed aircraft which celebrates the last Formula 1 race of the season.
In July, Etihad unveiled a Warner Bros World Abu Dhabi livery featuring the famous DC Superheroes and Looney Tunes characters. Earlier in the year, the airline unveiled a unique 20th anniversary livery on an Airbus A321neo which features a line-art drawing of the famous landmarks of the Abu Dhabi skyline.