ETIHAD: A380’s back in the sky in 2023 on Abu Dhabi to London route

With most airlines experiencing a surge back to pre-pandemic demand, the predictions that the A380 would probably not fly again seem overpessimistic. Etihad, which had said fairly firmly that it would be retiring all its A380, is now set to bring 4 of the super jumbo’s back on the London/Abu Dhabi route.

My favourite plane will be returning to the Etihad schedule mid 2023

New CEO of the airline, Antonoaldo Neves, who replaces Tony Douglas (now with new Saudi airline RIA), 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.”

Etihad A380 features

Most famous is the Etihad ‘The Residence’, a two-room suite with its own toilet facilities and butler. It will now be offered as an optional extra for guests who have booked into he First Apartments. But no less noteworthy is the aircraft’s 9 First Class Apartments arranged on either side of a single aisle, including a leather lounge chare and ottoman, which converts into a fully flat bed. and 70 Business Studios. The Etihad A380 cabin has no premium Economy but it does have 80 Economy Space Seats, with a pitch of around 36 inches and 405 standard economy seats.

2PAXfly Takeout

This is another timely reminder to wear your seatbelt when seated. Holding you close to your seat will protect you from the sort of injuries sustained on this flight, when unsecured passengers flew to the ceiling of the aircraft, and then came crashing down once the ‘drop’ ceased.

The hope will be that this is an anomaly – a ‘freak accident’ in casual parlance. If it is a systemic error either mechanical or electronic, then this is a larger concern for the airlines that fly Boeing Dreamliner 787 aircraft. Let’s hope it isn’t. If it is, it will pile on the woes to Boeing’s existing stack.

I have never travelled on Etihad, so have been denied the pleasure of any of their class of cabins. Some travellers report patchy service, unless travelling in the residence. Maybe now is my chance. As soon as I hit publish on this post, I’ll be checking seat availability!

Not that I am expecting Airbus to return to manufacturing A380s, but the current return of the aircraft to their fleets by most of its users (Qantas, Singapore, Lufthansa, Etihad, Emirates etc) might give the aircraft a longer life that expected during the pandemic, and even the possibility of an updated carbon-fibre fuselage model – maybe? We will need to see how the pandemic changes passenger demand over the longer term.