Etihad Airways has announced that it will operate the Airbus A380 between Abu Dhabi and Mumbai from May 1, 2016.
With this, India’s commercial capital will join the carrier’s other A380 destinations - London, New York, Sydney and, from June 2016, Melbourne.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline’s 496-seat A380 features the only three-room suite in commercial aviation - The Residence by Etihad - as well as nine first apartments, 70 business studios and 415 economy smart seats.
The aircraft will operate daily on flight EY204 from Abu Dhabi to Mumbai and EY203 from Mumbai to Abu Dhabi, both of which carry the 9W code of Jet Airways, Etihad Airways’ strategic partner.
“The flights connect seamlessly with Etihad Airways’ A380-operated services to New York, allowing guests to experience the double-decker aircraft throughout their journey,” the airline said in a statement.
“Guests on board Etihad Airways’ A380 service will also have access to popular connecting destinations over Abu Dhabi such as Doha, Bahrain or Jeddah in the Gulf region and Chicago, San Francisco or Toronto in North America.”
James Hogan, Etihad Airways president and CEO, said: “The Etihad Airways A380 has set a new benchmark for luxury and innovation and we are delighted to announce that this world-class service will soon be available to guests flying to and from Mumbai.”
Devendra Fadnavis, chief minister of the Maharashtra, welcomed the news, saying: “This announcement by Etihad Airways is yet another sign of international confidence in the powerhouse economy of Maharashtra. I look forward to the growth in tourism and business that this service can bring to our state.”
Etihad Airways’ thrice-daily service to Mumbai, in addition to Jet Airways’ double-daily service, offers guests access to more than 2,000 weekly connections in 57 markets across the Gulf region, the Middle East, Africa, Europe and North America.


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