Etihad Airways, UAE national airline, on previously took its sponsorship of Manchester City Football Club to new heights with the unveiling of a specially liveried Airbus A330-200 aircraft. The new "Blue Moon Rising" livery also marks the commencement of double daily flights between Manchester and Abu Dhabi, effective from August 1, 2011. Etihad currently flies to the UAE's capital city seven times a week. A team of 40 painters worked around the clock for 18 days in Abu Dhabi to paint the A330-200 in the colours of Manchester City. 450 litres of paint were required to complete the job. The aircraft, which will operate on the Abu Dhabi - Manchester route, will also serve Milan, Frankfurt, Brussels, Johannesburg, Cape Town, Kuala Lumpur, JAKARTA, Singapore, Istanbul and destinations throughout the Middle East and India. James Hogan, Etihad Airways CEO, said: "We are very proud of our sponsorship of Manchester City Football Club, and of our commitment to the wider community. Manchester has been a key destination for Etihad for five years, and the increase in frequency to double daily indicates our dedication to the region. "Business and leisure travellers from all over the northwest of England can now easily take advantage of the services, whether flying to Abu Dhabi, or further afield to destinations such as Thailand, Singapore or Australia," he added. Etihad Airways has been Manchester City Football Club's main club sponsor since May, 2009. During that time the club has enjoyed considerable success, including its first FA (Football Association) Cup win at Wembley Stadium, since 1969 in the 2010-2011 season. Etihad Airways currently serves 70 destinations in Europe, the Americas, Africa, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region, with a fleet of 61 Airbus and Boeing aircraft, and 100 aircraft on order, including 10 A380s, the world's largest passenger aircraft.(mar)