Abu Dhabi, May 16 (IANS/WAM): Etihad Airways, the national airline of the UAE, Wednesday launched its inaugural flight to the Netherlands' capital Amsterdam.

Flight EY77, carrying the KL code of Dutch national carrier KLM, departed from Abu Dhabi airport.

Announced in October 2012, the partnership between Etihad Airways and KLM involves the two airlines codesharing on multiple routes across each other's networks.

The new daily service between Abu Dhabi and Amsterdam complements KLM's flights on that route, which carries Etihad Airways' EY code, ensuring that the two airlines offer a combined double daily service.

The Etihad Airways A330-200 aircraft, that can carry 262 passengers -- 22 in business class and 240 in economy class -- will be greeted with a ceremonial water cannon salute at the Schiphol airport.

Amsterdam joins a group of 17 leading European cities that Etihad Airways flies to including Brussels, Dublin, Frankfurt, Geneva, London and Paris.