Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, is now flying its newest aircraft type, the Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner, on daily services to Rome. The introduction of the new service, which will complement a second flight each evening with a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, was celebrated with a special dinner at the Rome Cavalieri Hotel.

The dinner was hosted by Italian anchor woman Roberta Capua, and was attended by Ahmed Al Mulla, UAE Deputy Ambassador to Italy, and Martin Drew, Etihad’s vice president, Europe and the Americas. Guests were treated to traditional Arabic calligraphy on arrival and music inspired by traditional Arabic instruments.

Robin Kamark, chief commercial officer, Etihad Aviation Group said, “The introduction of Boeing 787s across our network will enable us to further enhance our inflight experience, giving our guests the opportunity to enjoy the most highly customised Dreamliner cabins in the world. These aircraft feature upgraded entertainment systems and connectivity, and of course all our guests will experience our acclaimed service and hospitality. We are delighted that Rome is among the first cities to receive our new 787-10 aircraft and look forward to celebrating the introduction of the 787-9 to Milan in September.”

Etihad Airways is offering a free two-night stopover in the Emirati capital to all travellers flying to international destinations via Abu Dhabi. The free Abu Dhabi stopover promotion is available for bookings made by 1 December, for travel until 31 December.