DALLAS — Premium air travel between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and the rest of the world experiences a substantial capacity increase, as UAE carrier Etihad Airways (EY) has resumed Airbus A380 operations at New York-JFK International Airport (JFK) on April 22, 2024. The airline also announced that another crucial city, Paris, will welcome the Superjumbo again on November 1, 2024.

The return of EY’s flagship aircraft to the “Big Apple” was one of the most expectant moves to be performed by the company, which until April was solely being served by Boeing 787-9 aircraft on four-daily flights from Abu Dhabi (AUH).

Etihad’s Flight EY1 has now seen an upgrade from 300 to up to 486 seats on each leg, and passengers can as well finally enjoy First Class service, as the Dreamliner stops at Business Class in terms of inflight product offerings. EY’s Airbus A380 is configured in a four-class layout, with 405 Economy Class, 70 Business Class, 9 First Class, and 2 “The Residence” unique suites, which are exclusive to the A380.

Paris Becomes the Third Etihad A380 Destination

On the other hand, the Abu Dhabi-based carrier has also unveiled that Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) will become the next destination to welcome back Airbus A380 operations, officially starting on November 1, 2024, at the gates of the IATA low-season period.

The presence of EY in the French capital city is reduced, as only one daily service remains operative on board the brand-new Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. The reintroduction of the A380 will also resume First Class and “The Residence” service to Paris, as the A350 is configured in a two-class layout, with 44 Business Class and 327 Economy Class seats.

Amid a clear intention from the Gulf carrier to reinstate their pre-pandemic Airbus A380 network in the coming years, or even months. Another significant destination likely to be added to the list soon is Sydney-Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD). However, the airline has not given any further information about a potential A380 service resumption.