The national airline of the United Arab Emirates, Etihad Airways, has officially canceled its planned route to Algeria. This decision concludes over a year of announcements, delays, and uncertainty regarding a direct connection between Abu Dhabi and Algiers.
The project for an Etihad Airways route from Abu Dhabi to Algiers was first announced publicly in November 2024. The airline had announced the addition of ten new cities to its network at that time, including the Algerian capital. The launch of flights to Algiers was initially planned for late 2025, according to statements from that period. You can read about other airline promotions here on ObservAlgérie.
However, this announcement was quickly followed by a formal denial. The management of Algiers’ international airport contested the information, stating that no agreement had been reached to open this route. This official denial, issued in November 2024, marked the beginning of difficulties for the project.
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Des confirmations répétées et le lancement des réservations
Despite the initial denial, Etihad Airways maintained its intention to serve Algiers. In May 2025, the airline issued a statement on its website confirming the route’s opening. It announced four weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi-Algiers route, with operations scheduled to begin on November 7, 2025.
Without waiting for a confirmed official agreement from the Algerian side, Etihad opened bookings for this new destination. In September 2025, the airline included Algiers in a promotional offer with discounts of up to 30%. During the same month, it held an official launch ceremony for its activities in Algeria at the Marriott Hotel in Algiers.
Le report et l’annulation définitive
The date of the inaugural flight, November 7, 2025, passed without any Etihad Airways aircraft landing in Algiers. On November 12, 2025, the airline issued a new statement. It indicated that the launch of the route to Algiers was “temporarily postponed for reasons beyond its control.” It committed to rerouting or fully refunding passengers who had already made bookings.
TRANSPORT |
Etihad Airways persiste & signe, malgré le démenti de l’aéroport international d’Alger.
– Etihad Airways desservira l’Algérie à partir du 7 novembre 2025 avec des vols directs Alger – Abu Dhabi.
1 4 fréquences par semaine : Lundi, Mercredi, Vendredi & Dimanche— Algeria Project (@Algeria3New) September 16, 2025
On December 11, 2025, the website AeroRoutes reported the definitive update to Etihad Airways’ flight schedule. This update confirms the removal of the Abu Dhabi-Algiers route. The specialized site specifies: “As of December 11, 2025, the airline has removed this route from its schedule and it is no longer possible to book tickets on its website.”
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Quel sort pour les clients d’Etihad Airways ?
Etihad Airways has not publicly commented since this update to explain the definitive cancellation of the project. The situation of travelers who booked after the November 12 statement has not been the subject of a new official communication. It is anticipated that they will either be rerouted via connections or fully refunded.
On the Algerian side, the management of Algiers airport has not reacted to this definitive cancellation. Its last public comment on the subject remains the formal denial published in November 2024. The lack of an agreement between the parties appears to be the main reason leading to the failure of this airline route project.
Source: ObservAlgérie