Direct flights from Dublin to Abu Dhabi to begin in August

The first-ever direct flights between Dublin and Abu Dhabi are set to begin this August.

The service will be operated by Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, and will allow travellers to make a one-stop journey to Sydney, Bangkok, Manila and other far-flung cities.

Etihad is the latest company to begin offering direct flights from Dublin to the UAE.

Gulf Air already flies from Dublin to Bahrain, while Aer Lingus operates a service to Dubai.

Tourism Ireland says the flights reflect a global increase in long-haul travel to the Middle East and Asia.