Etihad will bring back the super luxury Airbus A380

Luxury lovers, rejoice!

Etihad Airways will bring the Airbus A380 back into service, the airline said on Friday.

The airline will pull four of the palatial biplanes from storage and operate them between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and London Heathrow (LHR), the airline said, starting next summer. The airline did not provide the exact date or month.

Want more specific airline news? Sign up for TPG’s free biweekly New Aviation newsletter.

Etihad grounded its fleet of 10 A380s in March 2020 as the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic halted travel around the globe. While airlines continue to fly bare schedules and cargo flights, the A380, with its four engines and capacity for more than 500 passengers in some configurations, is far too inefficient and costly. least.

The following year, then-CEO Tony Douglas confirmed that the airline had plans to keep the A380s grounded “indefinitely”. said in the world aviation festival in April that “they are no longer commercially sustainable. So we have made the difficult decision to suspend those machines indefinitely.”

At the time, Etihad planned to reorient its fleet around smaller, but more agile and efficient Boeing 787s and Airbus A350-1000s, FlightGlobal reported.

But times change.

Travel demand has increased globally since mid-2021 as vaccinations roll out and countries begin to lift travel restrictions, while airlines struggle to replenish their capacity. capacity to meet demand.

Current CEO Antonoaldo Neves said in a statement: “We have decided the time has come to bring some of the A380s back to our fleet to meet the need to make them financially viable. once again”. “We look forward to welcoming our guests once again aboard this remarkable aircraft.”

By adding the A380 to the London route, the airline says it will be able to free up capacity for additional frequencies on other routes, along with new destinations.

Etihad will also bring back five Airbus A320 narrow-body jets to support the A380s. These planes will be used for more regional flights from the airline’s Abu Dhabi hub, allowing increased connectivity to serve all A380 passengers.

Etihad’s A380 has some of the oldest and most luxurious products in the skies, making its return an exciting moment for some travellers.

The aircraft is configured with nine first class “Apartments”, 70 business class “Studio” and 405 economy class seats, including 80 seats with extra legroom.

Etihad also features a unique product on the A380 called “The Residence.” Essentially a three-room suite at the front of the upper deck, the Mansion features a separate living room, bedroom, and en suite bathroom with shower. The living room alone was about the size of a standard First Class “Apartment” seat.

The Residence, which usually costs upwards of $20,000 for a one-way flight – though Bonus flights are available in the past – also comfort features such as private butler service, custom menus, access and private airport lounges.

Meanwhile, Etihad is not the first airline to reverse course on its A380 fleet that has already been grounded.

Lufthansa said in October that it would bring the parked A380 back into service in summer 2023. Three of the airline’s eight A380s will operate high-demand routes outside of central Munich starting in June, with additional planes due to return to service later in the summer. Lufthansa sold six more A380s during the no-fly period.

In a statement, Lufthansa cited “strong customer demand and delayed deliveries of ordered aircraft.”