Etihad Airways is returning four of its A380 aircraft to service in the summer of 2023 to accommodate surging passenger demand.
The double-decker A380 is a firm favourite with travellers. Many were disappointed when the aircraft was retired during the coronavirus pandemic. The then-CEO predicted that the aircraft would never return to the skies.
On Monday, the first Etihad A380 flew out of deep storage on its journey back to active service.
Where will the Etihad A380 be flying?
Etihad will initially serve London Heathrow (LHR) once daily from the 15th of July. This will increase to twice daily from the beginning of August.
The A380 schedule:
EY11 Dep AUH 0205 Arr LHR 0645
EY19 Dep AUH 0830 arr LHR 1305
EY12 Dep LHR 0930 Arr AUH 1940
EY20 Dep LHR 1450 Arr AUH 0055* next day
There is potential to add additional destinations if the move proves successful. Etihad has a further six A380s in storage. In the past, the A380 flew on routes to Sydney, Melbourne, Paris and New York.
What is onboard the Etihad A380?
The upper deck is dedicated to premium passengers with the unique The Residence, 9 First Apartments and 70 Business Studios.
First and Business guests also have access to The Lobby. This is a serviced lounge and bar area located between the two cabins.
The lower deck is in an all-economy configuration, including a dedicated Economy Space cabin at the front of the plane.
Economy Space offers up to five inches of extra legroom. My review of Economy Space is here: Is Economy Space worth it?
New! Upgrade to The Residence
The Residence is a unique three-room suite with a seating area, private bedroom and bathroom (with a shower). It is as close to flying private as commercial aviation gets.
Previously, a dedicated butler took care of passengers in The Residence on the ground and in the air. The Residence was often empty, with a policy against upgrades.
However, Etihad is changing tack with the relaunch and will now make The Residence available as an optional upgrade for passengers flying in First. How upgrades to The Residence will work in practice and what they will cost still need to be clarified.
Book the A380 with Guest Miles
Using Guest Miles to book one of Etihad’s First Apartments remains one of my all-time favourite uses of Etihad Guest Miles. Taking a shower at 35,000 feet is a memorable experience.
I tried looking for a GuestSeat’s in First available on the A380 in London. I could not find any. However, there is plenty of GuestSeats available in Business in both directions.
One-way redemptions in Business start from 62,500 Etihad GuestMiles plus AED 1,010. GuestSeat redemptions in First start from 88,800 plus AED 1,010.
One change Etihad should make is allowing passengers who have booked a GuestSeat in Business to upgrade to First when availability opens up in the higher cabin closer to departure.
Currently, the only option is to cancel the Business GuestSeat booking and rebook a First GuestSeat. However, that incurs a 10% Guest Miles penalty. This is a missed opportunity for the airline. It has the potential to make two travellers happy.
Conclusion
I am delighted to see the Etihad A380 back in the sky. It is going to be fun to try the First Apartment again.
I hope that London Heathrow (LHR) is just the start. With six more aircraft that could be brought back into service, it would be great to see the A380 flying to more destinations in the Etihad network.
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