The world’s most exclusive commercial aircraft cabin is officially returning to the US
etihad airways announced The airline announced Wednesday that it will return its flagship Airbus A380 to New York from April 22, 2024. The airline will deploy its A380 aircraft to New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) on one of its two daily flights during the event. The summer season will be held according to the following schedule.
- Flight 102 from New York to Abu Dhabi: Departs at 3:30pm, arrives next day at 12:30pm
- Flight 103 from Abu Dhabi to New York: 3:10am departure, 9:30am arrival
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Etihad Airways will also upgrade its twice-daily flight between New York and Abu Dhabi, which will be operated by a Boeing 787 Dreamliner with a first class cabin. (As part of the move, the company will reduce its service between Washington, D.C. and Abu Dhabi to a “regular” 787 Dreamliner without first class.)
The double-decker A380 not only represents a significant capacity increase on one of Etihad Airways’ major routes, it also brings a significant upgrade to the passenger experience for all cabin passengers, especially our most affluent passengers.
That’s because Etihad Airways’ A380 is equipped with a so-called residence product. This is essentially his 3-room private cabin in front of the first class section.
The Residence is the most exclusive cabin in civil aviation, offering up to two passengers a very spacious suite, private bedroom and private toilet with shower. No other product, not even Emirates’ innovative First Class, offers the privacy and space that Etihad Airways’ Residences offer.
Back in the day, Etihad Airways offered the ultimate experience to those who shelled out tens of thousands of dollars to fly in residences. This includes a private personal lounge, a special onboard menu tailored to your dietary preferences and restrictions, and your own personal butler.
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But now airlines are significantly downsizing many of the residence’s “soft products.” While the physical suite remains the same, the ground and in-flight services are much the same as what passengers would expect in first class.
To celebrate the Residence’s return to the United States, Etihad Airways is offering some discounted upgrade benefits for those who have already booked first class tickets, although they are still expensive. Residence upgrades are available for “just” $2,990 through December 12, 2024 for travel from April 22, 2024 until the end of the schedule (excluding June 14-24).
The standard one-way residence upgrade rate on the New York Line is $4,520 per person. It was not immediately clear whether passengers would be able to upgrade from first class award tickets to residences.
The good news is that even for those who don’t want to splurge for a residence, the return of the A380 should bring a notable upgrade to the passenger experience. The A380 features nine ‘apartments’, Etihad Airways’ premier first class product.
In business class, travelers enjoy one of 70 flat “studio” pods. There is also an on-board bar called ‘The Lobby’ where first class and business class passengers can relax during the 14-hour flight.
The A380 also has 415 economy class seats. Please note that Etihad Airways does not offer premium economy cabins.
Etihad Airways’ A380 was placed in long-term storage at the beginning of the pandemic. Some aviation observers thought these planes would be retired for good, but airlines brought them back this summer for service to London.
Now, the airline is breathing new life into its superjumbo jets, with New York becoming the airline’s second A380 destination since the pandemic.
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