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Etihad Airways expands Airbus A380 fleet amid rising demand

Etihad Airways expands Airbus A380 fleet amid rising demand
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Tanner Saunders Senior hotels reporter | The Points Guy

Etihad Airways is set to reintroduce two more Airbus A380 aircraft into its fleet as part of its post-pandemic recovery strategy. The sixth and seventh A380s will return in February and June 2025, according to Arik De, the airline's chief revenue officer. These planes will service routes to Singapore and an undisclosed destination.

The airline resumed its A380 operations last year on flights from Abu Dhabi to London's Heathrow Airport. Since then, Etihad has expanded these operations to Mumbai, New York, and Paris.

During the pandemic, many airlines had retired their A380s due to reduced demand. However, with a resurgence in passenger numbers and delays in new aircraft deliveries from Airbus and Boeing, several carriers have reactivated their A380 fleets. "The Airbus A380 we never thought we'd bring back, and [soon we will] have seven of them flying," said De.

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Lufthansa and Qatar Airways are among other airlines that have similarly reinstated their A380s after initially retiring them.

Etihad's A380s feature the exclusive Residence product, a three-room private cabin in the first-class section. Despite undergoing a $750 million refurbishment across its fleet, including the Boeing 787s and 777s, this product will remain available. The refurbishment will focus on soft furnishings and possibly expanding the business-class cabin.

In addition to fleet updates, Etihad plans to announce a new U.S. destination soon. While Arik De did not specify which city it would be, he mentioned it would not be one of the usual suspects like Dallas-Fort Worth or Los Angeles.

Currently, Etihad serves Boston Logan International Airport along with airports in Chicago, New York, and Washington D.C., benefiting from preclearance facilities that streamline entry into the U.S.

Despite planning a 24% increase in seats to the U.S., Etihad's capacity remains about 30% lower than its peak in 2017 due to restructuring efforts following previous financial challenges.

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