ABU DHABI, the official Emirates News Agency, WAM, announced that James Hogan Etihad Airways' president and chief executive officer, visited the United States, leading a delegation of senior airline executives at a series of government and commercial meetings in Washington, D.C.

According to the government news agency and without specific the dates, the meetings took place during the same week that Etihad Airways announced an order for up to 56 Boeing wide-body aircraft, with options and purchase rights for a further 26 aircraft, as well as 127 GE Aviation engines, representing up to $ 25.2 billion in value.

Hogan stated: "Trade ties between the US and the UAE have never been stronger and Etihad Airways is proud to play a key role in strengthening these relations as well as providing significant support to the US economy through investments in the US aerospace industry.

"Supporting both commercial ties and tourism to the US, Etihad Airways has carried nearly two million passengers between Abu Dhabi and its destinations in the US in the last eight years. With the addition of flights to Los Angeles in 2014, as well as other cities still to be announced, the relationship and investment with the US and US companies will certainly deepen further."

"Etihad Airways' orders with US companies are valued at more than US$ 40 billion and translate into a direct impact on America's gross domestic product and support for major employment throughout the aerospace supply chain."

According to the Abu Dhabi based airline, it currently employs almost 100 members of staff  to support its operations in the US.

Los Angeles will be Etihad Airways' fourth US destination when it starts in June 2014, joining Chicago, New York and Washington, D.C., and with the airline providing 28 return flights each week between the UAE and US.