Etihad Airways Will Bring Back the Airbus A380!
Etihad Airways has announced that they will be bringing back their Airbus A380 super jumbo jet, which will take to the skies as early as March 2023 between Abu Dhabi and London.
This represents the return of an incredibly exciting opportunity for using our Aeroplan points, as Etihad’s A380 offers the highly aspirational First Class Apartments with a shower in the sky.
Etihad Airways A380 to Fly to London
After almost three years of being grounded, Etihad Airways has announced they will bring back up to four A380 jets beginning in March 2023 between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London Heathrow (LHR).
London is a natural choice for the first destination upon the return of the Airbus A380s, given that it’s always been one of Etihad’s flagship routes with the highest demand for premium cabins.
Although subject to change of course, Etihad currently operates four flights per day to London, with departures every few hours beginning at 9:30am.
There’s a mix of daytime and redeye flights in both directions, and I’d recommend snagging a daytime departure if you’d like to stay awake and enjoy all that Etihad Airways A380 First Class has to offer.
And what an offering it is…
What’s Etihad’s Onboard Product Like?
Let’s cut to the chase: Etihad Airways A380 First Class offers one of the most mind-blowing First Class products in the sky: the First Class “Apartment” complete with a separate chair and bed.
In a 1-1 configuration onboard the largest plane in the sky, each First Class suite offers unparalleled space with a full-length bed, a swivelling TV, and an opportunity to shower in the sky.
Business class isn’t too shabby, either, offering Etihad’s Business Studio, with a mix of forward- and backward-facing seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. It’s identical to the business class seat on their Boeing 787 Dreamliners.
Forward-facing seats are closer to the window, and forward-facing seats are also closer together in the middle, making each the ideal choice for solo travellers and couples, respectively.
When it comes to the best way to book ourselves on this flight between Abu Dhabi and London, we look no further than Aeroplan and the “Within Atlantic Zone” chart.
The direct flight from Abu Dhabi to London is 3,420 miles, and will therefore cost 65,000 points in First Class and 45,000 points in business class. Each of these represents a very compelling sweet spot with a flight duration of around seven hours.
We still have over 500 miles of wiggle room within the same distance band of up to 4,000 miles that will cost the same amount, so you’d be able to add on an additional flight within the Gulf. If you wish to have a stopover in Abu Dhabi, that will cost an additional 5,000 points.
Should we ever see the A380 return to North America, this long-haul route would cost 130,000–140,000 points in First Class one-way.
The Future of the Airbus A380
At the beginning of the pandemic, airlines were quick to retire their A380s, or at least put them in long-term storage. We saw Lufthansa, Air France, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, Malaysia Airlines, and Qantas all drop the A380 quickly as passenger demand plunged.
A little over two years later, more than half of those airlines have brought the A380 back. Indeed, British Airways, Qatar Airways, Qantas, Lufthansa, and now Etihad Airways will all be flying the A380 once more.
However, as soon as A380 had ceased production back in 2021, we’ve known that it had a limited lifespan. A fuel-burning super jumbo jet just doesn’t make sense for most airlines most of the time, in a world where fuel-efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliners and Airbus A350s predominate instead.
Almost all airlines who have brought back the A380 have not assured customers of its fleet future, instead saying that it’s necessary at the moment with the current surge in passenger demand.
Perhaps if gas prices decrease and demand remains high, the Airbus A380 will have a longer future. Still, for now, Etihad Airways’s decision to bring back four jumbo jets represents a welcome limited-time window to experience the First Class Apartments for those who never got to experience it.
Conclusion
In a miraculous turn of events, Etihad Airways has confirmed the A380 will fly once again as early as March 2023, with the first plane scheduled to fly between Abu Dhabi and London.
For passengers, this represents a renewed opportunity to indulge in the Etihad Airways First Class Apartments with its private enclosed suites and onboard showers, all at an affordable price using Aeroplan points.
The broader future of the Airbus A380 remains murky, so we should take every possible opportunity to jump on this larger-than-life aircraft while we still can.
The post Etihad Airways Will Bring Back the Airbus A380! appeared first on Prince of Travel by Ricky Zhang.
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