Etihad Airways has announced the addition of a third daily flight to Milan using its new Airbus A321LR aircraft, expanding its network to 10 destinations. The airline plans to launch this service later this year.
The new morning rotation will complement the existing service with a Boeing 777-300, offering departures throughout the day. Arik De, Chief Revenue and Commercial Officer at Etihad Airways, stated: “With our morning, afternoon and evening departures from Abu Dhabi and sensational value fares, our triple-daily Milan flights serve up perfect timings for guests travelling in both directions.”
Data shows that over 34,000 passengers traveled between Abu Dhabi and Milan in the past year. With the increased frequency, Etihad expects to offer 12,600 weekly seats between these cities.
The A321LR will debut on August 1 with daily flights to Phuket. Other routes include Düsseldorf and Copenhagen starting October 1. The full list of initial destinations includes Hanoi, Algiers, Phnom Penh, Chiang Mai, Tunis, Krabi, and Milan.
The A321LR is seen as an efficient option for routes with lower demand. It allows Etihad to replace larger aircraft like the Boeing 787 and 777 on certain routes while increasing frequencies without compromising load factors. This strategy aims to optimize route offerings by providing more convenient schedules for passengers.
Arik De commented on the potential of the A321LR: “The LRs will enable omnidirectional growth for us… It will open up multiple secondary destinations in Europe and Asia.”
Etihad’s expansion strategy involves replacing widebodies on some routes with the A321LR while increasing flight frequencies.
