Kuwait Airways plans to launch flights to Vienna (VIE) next month.

The carrier will connect Kuwait City (KWI) and the Austrian capital from June 12 with a 2X-weekly service.

​The announcement of the KWI-VIE nonstop route comes weeks after Kuwait Airways commenced service to Manchester (MAN), its second UK destination after London Heathrow (LHR).

Kuwait Airways CEO Maen Razouqi called VIE “one of the most important destinations that the [airline] will launch in the coming period.” In a statement, he pointed to Vienna’s “distinction as one of the largest cities for tourism in Europe,” adding that the destination is “well known for its historical and cultural attractions, such as palaces and museums, along with its musical legacy and renowned restaurants.”

Razouqi said Kuwait Airways “is relentlessly striving to launch a variety of diverse destinations.”

Austria's ambassador to Kuwait Marian Alexander said the new service is welcomed by her country, saying: “Bilateral relations between Kuwait and Austria have always been excellent, and Austria welcomes Kuwaiti guests as tourists, business travelers and also as diplomats and ministers visiting Vienna. The city of Vienna, the capital of Austria, has always been an important hub in the heart of Europe … Vienna Airport is also the leading flight hub in Central and Eastern Europe due to the numerous destinations that are served from Vienna.”

Kuwait Airways director of marketing and sales Amin Al-Haimy said the “choice of Vienna came due to increased demand for this destination, especially in the summer season, from customers preferring to travel to Vienna for the purpose of tourism.”