Page 25 - AAA NOVEMBER - DECEMBER 2022 Online Magazine

© Qantas

RETURN OF

THE SUPER JUMBO

SURGING PASSENGER provides a further boost to Etihad’s capacity into the key UK
market, with a knock-on effect for the wider GCC and Indian sub-
DEMAND HAS LED TO THE continent that will bring more visitors to the city of Abu Dhabi,’

REVIVAL OF A380 FLIGHTS Mohammed Ali Al Shorafa, Chairman, Etihad Aviation Group, said.
Etihad A380s will operate to London Heathrow, freeing up capac-
ATUL CHANDRA ity for increased frequencies on existing routes and the launch of
Airlines are racing to return their A380 new destinations. The airline is currently preparing the aircraft
double-decker aircraft to service to meet to fly again, which also includes the recruitment and training of
surging demand for air travel. As air travel A380 teams, including pilots, cabin crew and technical ground
rebounds from the pandemic and its travel staff.
restrictions, flights on the A380, which is the Etihad’s A380s feature The Residence as well as three cabin
world’s largest passenger aircraft have recov- classes on the double-decker aircraft, including nine First
ered. According data released by aviation Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 405 Economy Smart Seats.
analytics firm Cirium, A380 flights were up This includes 80 Economy Space seats with a seat pitch of up
by 125 per cent in November as compared to to 36 inches.
the same period in 2021 and 1,248 per cent
higher as compared to November 2020. Upward Climb

New Entrant According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, in total, nine airlines
have operated commercial A380 flights this year with London
In December, Etihad Airways, the national Heathrow to Dubai currently being the largest A380 route
carrier of the United Arab Emirates, was the (as of November 2022). Emirates had the largest number of
latest airline to announce the reintroduction scheduled A380 flights in November, according to Cirium data,
of its A380 into service. Antonoaldo Neves, operating 3,644 flights – 69 per cent of global services. British
Chief Executive Officer, Etihad Airways, said Airway was the second largest operator, with 450 flights this
the airline had decided the time was right month, followed by Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways and Qantas.
to return some of its A380s into the fleet to
satisfy the demand which has made them According to Cirium data for November 2022, Dubai was expected
financially viable once more. Etihad’s A380s’ to see the largest number of A380 flights, with 34per cent of

return will be supported by the addition of five departures being from the Middle East hub, followed by London
A320 family jetliners as well. Heathrow (11per cent), Singapore (5per cent), Bangkok (5per
cent) and Doha (4per cent).
Four of Etihad’s A380s will be back in service
on the Abu Dhabi -London sector from the Despite this increase, according to Cirium data, The number
summer of 2023. ‘The A380’s reintroduction of A380 operated flights is down by 46 per cent as compared to

ASIAN AIRLINES & AEROSPACE NOVEMBER-DECEMBER | 25