Etihad Airways has announced that all 14 weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi-Sydney route will be operated with its flagship A380 aircraft from October 29.
The current daily A380 Sydney flights will be joined by a second daily superjumbo service, upgraded from a 328-seat Boeing 777-300ER. The announcement comes as Etihad Airways marks the 10th anniversary of flying to Sydney, its first Australian destination.
Featuring the carrier’s The Residence – the world’s first three-room suite on a commercial airliner – the additional deployment of the 496-seat double decker aircraft means one of Australia’s largest cities will join London and New York as an all-A380 operation, the airline has said in a press statement.
“Business and leisure travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, the airline’s operational hub, will enjoy increased capacity. The carrier will meet growing demand from the UAE and connecting cities across the Gulf region, Middle East and Europe,” the statement noted.
The Sydney-London Heathrow route, via Abu Dhabi, will also offer guests the “consistency, convenience and comfort of a seamless” all-A380 service in both directions, the airline has said. Etihad Airways’ three daily London Heathrow flights are operated with an A380. Beginning June 1, the second daily New York service will also be upgraded to the superjumbo.
Introduced on the Sydney route two years ago, the A380 accommodates up to two guests in The Residence, which features a living room, bedroom and shower, together with nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 415 Economy Smart Seats.
Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways CEO, said: “Sydney is one of our busiest and best-performing long-haul routes where we have experienced increased demand, particularly in our premium cabins, since the launch 10 years ago.
“By introducing the A380 on the second daily flight, we are able to ensure our flagship product is on all of the Sydney services each week. The upgrade of this service will help fulfil growing demand, benefiting travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, and across Etihad Airways’ global network.”
The Abu Dhabi-Sydney schedule (from October 29) is as follows: EY450 departing Abu Dhabi at 9.25am and arriving in Sydney at 6.15am (+1), EY451 departing Sydney at 4.20pm and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 11.55pm, EY454 departing Abu Dhabi at 10.15pm and arriving in Sydney at 7.15pm (+1), and EY455 departing Sydney at 9.50pm and arriving in Abu Dhabi at 5.40am (+1).