Many airlines have recently had to reconsider their decision to mothball or retire their A380 aircraft. This included Qatar Airways, which brought back the A380s and Lufthansa, which just got their first A380 aircraft out of storage. However, there has been considerable discussion around the return of the Etihad A380 aircraft online, and there has been no one direction in which the wind has blown, at least so far. This is now clearer. The Etihad A380s are going to be back.

Etihad A380s will fly to London in the Summer of 2023

Etihad Airways announced its plans to put four Airbus A380 aircraft back into service yesterday. These aircraft will fly starting in the Summer of 2023. Etihad expects that within six months, the airline will bring back all the Abu Dhabi – London Heathrow operations under the A380 operations. The first A380-operated flight is showing up on July 15, 2023, on Etihad’s website.

For the record, Etihad Airways has ten Airbus A380s, and Etihad grounded them at the start of the pandemic. Etihad was not planning to bring these aircraft back into service. Still, the overwhelming return of travel, and the popularity of the Etihad A380 product, apart from slot constraints at London Heathrow, has made Etihad change its mind.

Etihad’s A380 aircraft features The Residence, an exclusive suite on board the A380 with its own resting area, living area and shower, and Butler. The Residence was targeted towards the audience which would want to fly private otherwise.

The A380 also featured the Etihad First Apartments, Etihad’s First Class suites on the upper deck of the A380. Each A380 had only nine First Class seats, lining up a single aisle, and it is one of the most impressive First Class products I’ve flown in the past decade.

Each Etihad Apartment featured a (very comfortable) lounger chair, an 80.5″ fully-flat bed, and a 24″ television, apart from a shower.

Apart from this is the Business Studio, which lines up the rest of the upper deck and the Economy cabin, which fully fills up the lower deck with 405 seats.

I’ve flown the Etihad A380 in Economy, the Business Studio and The First Apartment, and it has been an impressive aircraft LOPA through and through.

Bottomline

Etihad will reintroduce the Airbus A380 aircraft in the Summer of 2023, albeit only to operate on a specific route between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow. Four A380s will be brought back to serve this route specifically. The Etihad A380 is the epitome of premium cabins, at least at the top end, with a luxurious Etihad Residence and Etihad’s much-loved First Apartments.

What do you make of the return of the Etihad A380 aircraft?

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