Etihad is Ready to Fly the Airbus A380 Again

DALLAS - As demand for air travel increases, Etihad (EY) is readying itself for the summer of 2023 by reactivating four of its Airbus A380s, the world's largest passenger aircraft. Nearly all global carriers that fly the superjumbo grounded them with uncertainty, but eventually, demand saw the need for the jet to be brought back.

EY is actually one of the last to bring back its A380s.

Etihad A380-800 (A6-APF). Photo: Luca Flores/Airways

"Splendid Aircraft"

His Excellency Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman of Etihad Aviation Group, said: "It is wonderful to announce the return of this splendid aircraft. The A380's reintroduction provides a further boost to Etihad's capacity into the key UK market, with a knock-on effect for the wider GCC and Indian subcontinent that will bring more visitors to the city of Abu Dhabi."

Antonoaldo Neves, Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said: "We know this will be welcomed by our guests who love Etihad's incredible A380 and its award-winning cabins. We have decided the time is right to return some of our A380s into the fleet to satisfy the demand which has made them financially viable once more. We look forward to welcoming our guests again on board this remarkable aircraft."

The return of the A380 will free up Etihad's 787s and A350s. Photo: Lorenzo Giacobbo/Airways.

Where Does Etihad Fly the A380?

The A380 reactivation also comes with the addition of five A320s that predominantly fly around the GCC and Indian Subcontinent.

One of the key features of Etihad's A380 is the premium offering known as "The Residence". The aircraft will hold nine First Apartment suits, 70 Business Studios, and 405 in Economy split between the regular variant and the Economy Space.

Come summer 2023, all four superjumbos in service will be dedicated to the Abu Dhabi (AUH) to London Heathrow (LHR) route. Currently, the bulk of EY's long haul services are served by the fuel-efficient mix of the Boeing 787 -9, -10 and the Airbus A350-1000. Both types fly to London Heathrow presently. So, upon the four A380s rejoining, EY could redirect a bunch of these aircraft elsewhere. It's also to be noted that the carrier has a total of ten superjumbos, which means six remain in storage. The Boeing 777-300ER, although small in numbers, also supports the EY and is used predominantly on its Australia routes.

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Featured Image: Etihad will return four of its ten Airbus A380s to service by summer 2023. Photo: Kochan Kleps/Airways.