The flights will provide link for 90,000 Nepali nationals living in the UAE and meet growing demand from leisure travellers longed-for Nepal's ancient culture and the Himalayas, the world's highest mountain.

Kathmandu will join Etihad's expanding network across the Indian subcontinent that includes Dhaka, Delhi, Kochi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Karachi, Islamabad, Peshawar and Lahore.

James Hogan, the airline's chief executive, said: "Etihad continues to provide customers with frequent flights and connections to the world's leading capital cities. The Kathmandu service will be popular with the UAE's Nepalese community and leisure travellers flying with Etihad from Europe and North America."