‍TORONTO — Etihad (EY) celebrates the first scheduled arrival of one of its Airbus A380-800 in Toronto as it prepares for a unique double daily Superjumbo service at Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ).

The achievement follows the introduction of the A380 as a replacement for the formerly operated A350 on the route, reallocating the larger aircraft to Toronto and the A350 to New York's JFK airport.

Flight EY21 left Abu Dhabi about three hours late because of airspace overload in the Middle East and landed at about 11:43 am local time. The plane was greeted with a ceremonial water cannon salute, and passengers celebrated the first flight in a joyous atmosphere, accompanied by commemorative menus and VIP amenities.

With the launch of the 486-seat A380, EY is increasing capacity by approximately 30% and offering significantly improved premium seats compared to the A350. Building on Toronto's status as the first North American destination since 2005, this development comes after a calculated investment in the Canadian market.

The action maximizes revenue-generating potential by optimizing use under bilateral agreements between the UAE and Canada.

A380: Canada's Comeback

For the first time in Canadian aviation since the giants briefly stopped operating flights to Vancouver and Montreal in the past, Toronto Pearson now receives two A380s each day, operated by EY and Emirates (EK). In 2023, Emirates resumed daily A380 flights after growing its business, making Toronto a premier hub for the "Queen of the Skies."

Etihad's deployment of the A380 adds operational uniqueness and shows rekindled market confidence. At Toronto Pearson, superjumbo service is entering a new era with simultaneous arrivals that are barely 30 minutes apart.