Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will increase its weekly flights by 27 percent for the winter season, Emirates News Agency reported on Sunday.

The Abu Dhabi-based carrier will increase its weekly flights from 564 to 716 for the aviation industry's winter season that starts on Oct. 28, the report said.

Most of the new flights are scheduled for destinations in the Gulf region, Europe and the Indian subcontinent.

The four-year-old carrier announced last week that its planes were on average 65 percent full in the first six months of 2007, a figure often considered an industry benchmark for an airline's break-even point.

Established in July 2003, Etihad launched its first flight on Nov. 6, 2003. It currently owns a fleet of 26 aircraft which operates services to 44 global destinations.