Etihad Airways was the first international flight to land in Phuket today, to mark the reopening of tourism to Thailand. To celebrate the occasion the aircraft was greeted with the customary water cannon salute on arrival.

Etihad flight EY430 from Abu Dhabi to Phuket

Etihad flight EY430 from Abu Dhabi to Phuket arrived at Phuket International Airport at 11am on 1 July, and is the first Etihad flight to return to Thailand since the start of the pandemic.

The airline will operate three weekly flights to the island of Phuket, helping to support the recovery and bring tourism back to Thailand.

Martin Drew, Senior Vice President Global Sales and Cargo, said: “Etihad’s return to Phuket is a fantastic step forward as we reopen a very popular holiday destination for travellers from the UAE, and we’re proud to be the first international flight to arrive since the pandemic halted travel last year. Holiday makers from Europe and further afield can also easily connect through Abu Dhabi and on to Phuket, and can enjoy the benefits of flying in safety and comfort on Etihad’s Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.”

To further support the return to travel, Etihad has extended its ‘Verified To Fly’ travel document initiative, enabling travellers to validate their Covid-19 travel documents before arriving at the airport, to routes across its global network.

Available for the vast majority of Etihad flights, passengers can use the Verified to Fly service up by visiting ‘Manage my Booking’ on etihad.com and following the simple instructions to upload and submit their travel documents. Guests will receive confirmation once their documents have been approved in line with government requirements and can travel to the airport with confidence and peace of mind, knowing they have met all essential requirements before their flight.

All travellers must check the entry requirements and PCR testing protocols for travel to their final destination.