On July 25, Etihad Airways reactivated its Airbus A380 passenger operations with a non-stop flight to the UK after a hiatus of three years. The decision to resume the superjumbo services was driven by robust passenger demand following the easing of international travel restrictions.
See also: Etihad Airways increases flights to Rome
The inaugural service was flight EY 11, flown on an Airbus A380 bearing the registration number A6-APG and with a lifespan of 7.7 years. The aircraft took off from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUH) at 02:37 local time and touched down at Heathrow Airport (LHR) at 06:42, completing a journey of seven hours and five minutes.
The last scheduled passenger service on the A380 by Etihad was on March 29, 2020, on the Abu Dhabi – Sydney route. Prior to the pandemic, the Gulf carrier flew the superjumbo to major destinations such as Paris’s Charles de Gaulle, New York’s JFK, London’s Heathrow, Sydney, and Seoul’s Incheon, offering over 200,000 seats per month.
The CEO of Etihad Airways, Antonoaldo Neves, expressed, «We are thrilled to welcome our guests back aboard Etihad’s A380s for an unparalleled experience. Regardless of whether our guests opt for Economy, Business, First, or our three-bedroom sky suite – The Residence, this aircraft offers a top-notch flying experience we take great pride in.»
Etihad’s Flight Schedules on the Airbus A380
Current schedule:
- Flight EY 11 Abu Dhabi – London Heathrow, AUH 02:05 – LHR 06:45 daily.
- Flight EY 12 London Heathrow – Abu Dhabi, LHR 09:30 – AUH 19:35 daily.
Effective from August 1st:
- Flight EY 19 Abu Dhabi – London Heathrow, AUH 08:25 – LHR 12:50 daily.
- Flight EY 20 London Heathrow – Abu Dhabi, LHR 14:50 – AUH 00:40+1 daily.
The Airbus A380s offer a seating capacity of 486 passengers, which includes 337 Economy seats, 69 Economy Space seats, 70 Business Suites, and award-winning First Apartments (9) and The Residence (2). Upper class customers will once again have access to the Lounge Bar onboard.
As per the UK Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) data, 1,119,673 passengers travelled between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow in 2022.
Etihad is the second airline this year to resume A380 operations after Lufthansa. Airlines currently operating the superjumbo include British Airways, Emirates, Korean Air, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Qantas, Qatar Airways, and Singapore Airlines.
