Routesonline provides an update on the operations of the Airbus A380. We also reveal the network size of each operator and the top destinations served by the aircraft type.
As 2017 draws to a close, Routesonline looks at some of the biggest stories making the headlines this year. Part one of our review of the year features the US travel ban, Norwegian's expansion, Chinese low-cost carrier Lucky Air's ambitious plans and an interview with Etihad's chief executive Peter Baumgartner.
Etihad Airways will introduce the Airbus A380 on its route between Abu Dhabi and Paris this summer. The deployment is part of seasonal adjustments to the airline’s fleet plan and will result in a notable capacity growth in the market as the A380 substitutes for a smaller Boeing 777-300ER.
As the chief executives of both Etihad Airways and Lufthansa spelled out this week, there are clear development plans to broaden the commercial partnership as they explore further cooperation in a number of areas, including freight operations, procurement and passenger services to improve their competitive offering globally and in the European market.
United Arab Emirates (UAE) carrier Etihad Airways is to reduce the frequency of its flights between Abu Dhabi and San Francisco from early next year in a move that will help facilitate the growth of its flights into Dallas.
The new Virgin Australia service between Perth and Abu Dhabi will also open additional connection options for passengers travelling to and from the capital of Western Australia, with direct connections to 23 European, 15 Middle East and 10 African destinations.
With effect from June 23, 2016, flynas will add a second daily service between Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, increasing its combined offer with Etihad to four daily services. At the same time it will enter the Jeddah – Abu Dhabi market with a daily flight which will complement Etihad’s existing thrice daily services.
Delivering the keynote address at the monthly Wings Club meeting in New York, James Hogan, president and chief executive officer, Etihad Airways said that in an industry dominated by legacy airlines, and with such high barriers to entry, no new network carrier could hope to compete effectively in its own.
The airline is seeing an increase in demand for flights into Istanbul and this market demand has created an opportunity to deploy additional capacity into Sabiha Gokcen. Airlines do not generally like to split operations in a city due to the need to offer support resources in each location. However, capacity constraints at Ataturk Airport and the location of Sabiha Gokcen mean this is an easier decision to take.
With a partnership in place with Jet Airways, Gulf carrier, Etihad Airways has announced a more than 60 percent increased on full-year passenger traffic to and from India.
The route will increase capacity by adding another daily flight from the airline’s hub in Abu Dhabi. Founded in 2004, the route has now carried over two million passengers.
Etihad Airways, a minority shareholder in German carrier airberlin, will still be able to put its code on a number of the German carrier's routes, but the court ruling means a temporary injunction granted last November, permitting the two airlines to continue all their codeshare flights through January 15, 2016 will end on that date.
Etihad currently operates five 787-9s serving the markets of Brisbane, Washington, Singapore and Zurich from its Abu Dhabi International Airport hub. The type will become the UAE national carrier’s flagship long-haul aircraft in the coming years with a further 66 aircraft due to be delivered.
The new services will increase capacity between the two cities by almost 2,500 seats per week enabling Etihad to better serve the market in the UAE and the Philippines for point-to-point travel as well as supporting behind and beyond demand via its Abu Dhabi International Airport hub.
Under the terms of the revised agreement, designated Australian and UAE airlines will be able to operate an extra 14 weekly frequencies between the two countries from October 2016, up from the seven offered as part of a previous deal. Alongside the fast-expanding UAE national entities, this will permit Qantas and Virgin Australia to also boost its flights to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, markets its currently serves in partnership with the two Gulf carriers.
The introduction of the two additional return flights increases to nearly 4,200 the total number of seats available to passengers travelling by Etihad between the UAE and Morocco each week and comes as the carrier prepares to celebrate ten years of operations into the North African country.
The five times weekly Belgrade - New York JFK link will be operated using a leased two-class Airbus A330-200 and Air Serbia is currently considering lease options with Etihad Airways Partner airlines as well as with other external companies. The airline currently operates a fleet of 14 narrow-bodied and six turboprop aircraft.
flynas will introduce a five times weekly link between King Khalid International Airport and Abu Dhabi International Airport from December 16, 2015, complementing the existing 13 weekly flights already offered by Etihad on the route, providing greater choice and flexibility for passengers travelling from Saudi Arabia, the UAE or beyond.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) highlighted the importance of overcoming airspace congestion, taking advantage of innovations with the New Distribution Capability (NDC) and aligning with the global industry strategy for reducing aviation’s climate change impact for the further successful development of aviation in the Middle East.
After Delta recently reduced service between the world’s busiest airport and the largest international airport, the carrier has now confirmed it will end the route from February 11, 2016. It said the Boeing 777 used on this city pair will be redeployed to other Transatlantic markets where it can “compete on a level playing field that’s not distorted by subsidised state-owned airlines”.
