According to executives at the Abu Dhabi-based airline, strength of demand for the new route indicates that it will have a significant impact in both the corporate and leisure sectors in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East.

"This non-stop service between the UAE and Malaysian capitals is set to be one of our most popular, with a high volume of traffic direct from the Middle East, and also from European Guests, looking to travel via Abu Dhabi to Malaysia on business or vacation," said James Hogan, CEO of Etihad Airways.

"Malaysia and the UAE enjoy an array of cultural ties in addition to vibrant economies. We fully expect business executives and leisure travellers based in both countries to fly frequently with Etihad on this new service, further enhancing trade links," added Hogan.

Kuala Lumpur is one of Asia?s most advanced cities, combining gleaming skyscrapers and state-of-the-art shopping malls with local colour from British colonial buildings, a vibrant Chinatown with street vendors and night markets along with a bustling Little India.

It will be Etihad?s fourth destination in the Far East following the enormously successful double-daily service to Bangkok, introduced in 2004, as well as the non-stop operations to Jakarta and Manila launched in spring 2006.

Etihad will operate one of its three-Zone Airbus A340-300 aircraft between Abu Dhabi and Kuala Lumpur, which is configured to carry 10 Guests in Diamond Zone, 30 Guests in Pearl Zone and 225 in Coral Zone.

The service, which will launch on January 15, will operate every day of the week except Saturday.

Outbound EY405 will depart Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) at 2.40am, arriving at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at 2.15pm.

The return flight EY406 will depart Kuala Lumpur at 3pm, arriving in Abu Dhabi at 6.15pm.

Etihad Airways currently flies twice per week from Johannesburg to Abu Dhabi, providing swift and convenient onward connections to the airline?s fast growing global network of 37 destinations.