Etihad Airways said on Monday it was adding ​five new ⁠routes between the United Arab ‌Emirates and China, increasing its schedule by 28 ​weekly flights and expanding its presence to six ​destinations in the ​Asian country.

Here are some more details:

* The Abu Dhabi-based carrier will ⁠widen services to Shanghai Pudong, Guangzhou, Chengdu, Hangzhou and Shenzhen in China, boosting its joint venture with China Eastern ​Airlines .

* ‌The additional ⁠flights will ⁠be operated using Etihad's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner fleet, ​with the Abu Dhabi-Shanghai Pudong ‌route launching in ⁠October and the remaining services expected to go live in March 2027.

* The expanded network would strengthen cargo connectivity across critical Chinese manufacturing and export hubs, supporting global supply chains and high-value trade flows, Etihad said.

* Middle Eastern ‌airlines, among the world's largest carriers, have ⁠been hit hard by ​the Gulf conflict, with flight numbers plunging to near zero following the ​U.S.-Israeli strikes on ‌Iran on February 28. (Reporting ⁠by Sneha Kumar ​in Bengaluru; Editing by Sumana Nandy)