Bangladesh, Oct. 7 -- Etihad Airways has started direct flights from Abu Dhabi to Red Sea International Airport in Saudi Arabia, adding a year-round link to one of the kingdom's fastest-growing tourism destinations.

The inaugural Airbus A320 flight from Zayed International Airport touched down at the Red Sea gateway at 12:05 pm on October 4.

The route will initially operate once a week on Sundays. From October 25, the carrier will increase frequencies to twice weekly, on Thursdays and Sundays. The flight takes around three hours and 10 minutes.

The service also allows passengers connecting through Etihad's international network to reach the destination. The airline announced the route in September as part of a broader expansion of its...