Etihad Airways will scrap flights to San Francisco as stiffer competition in the US hit the route’s profitability.
The Abu Dhabi-based airline will suspend the service starting October 29 because fares and passenger levels were lower than planned, the state-owned company said yesterday in an e-mailed statement. The company will re-deploy the Boeing 777 jets, which served the route, to unidentified destinations across its network.
The Abu Dhabi-San Francisco route, which started in November 2014, was reduced from daily service to three times a week earlier this year as the Gulf carrier grappled with US challenges. Dubai-based rival Emirates in April moved to eliminate 25 weekly flights to the US citing the fallout from restrictions imposed by President Donald Trump on travel and on-board electronics affecting Mideast passengers and carriers.
Etihad, which didn’t mention the US’s policies in its statement, is also in the midst of a strategy review, spurred by struggles at affiliates Alitalia and Air Berlin. That’s putting more pressure on maximising profitability of its own services. 
Meanwhile, Qatar Airways said in April that it plans to add San Francisco to its network of US destinations in 2018.
Etihad will offer refunds or re-book passengers with tickets on the San Francisco flight after October 29. The airline will continue to serve five US destinations including Chicago, Dallas and New York.
“Etihad Airways remains strongly committed to its other US services, which are performing at, or above, commercial targets,” the company said.