Edinburgh Airport launches daily Etihad service to Abu Dhabi

A temporary arrivals hall has been built to accommodate Middle East routes

An airline has launched a new daily service from the Scottish capital to Abu Dhabi.

Etihad Airways' inaugural flight landed at Edinburgh Airport at 07:24.

Edinburgh is Etihad's first Scottish destination and its third departure point from the UK, alongside London Heathrow and Manchester.

It will offer connections onwards to a number of other destinations in the Middle East, Indian sub-continent, Asia and Australia.

The new route to the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will be operated with an Airbus A330-200 aircraft, with a total of 22 seats in business class and 240 in economy.

Edinburgh Airport began the latest stage of its expansion earlier this year with the announcement of a £50m development.

A new immigration and baggage hall is to be built, which should triple the capacity for larger long-haul aircraft.

It is the second stage of a £150m programme agreed two years ago.

The first stage included a new security hall and a temporary arrivals hall to accommodate the Middle East routes.