Etihad A380 goes double daily to Sydney

Etihad Airways has announced all 14 weekly flights on the Abu Dhabi – Sydney route will be operated with its flagship A380 aircraft, from October 29. 

The current daily A380 Sydney flights will be joined by a second daily superjumbo service, upgraded from a 328-seat Boeing 777-300ER.

The announcement comes as the airline marks the 10th anniversary of flying to Sydney, its first Australian destination.

Featuring the carrier’s The Residence – a three-room suite onboard – the additional deployment of the 496-seat double decker aircraft means Sydney will join London and New York as an all-A380 operation.

The  airline’s three daily London Heathrow flights are operated with an A380. Beginning June 1, the second daily New York service will be upgraded to the superjumbo.

Introduced on the Sydney route two years ago, the A380 accommodates up to two guests in The Residence, which features a living room, bedroom and shower, together with nine First Apartments, 70 Business Studios and 415 Economy Smart Seats.

Peter Baumgartner, Etihad Airways chief executive officer, said: “Sydney is one of our busiest and best performing long-haul routes where we have experienced increased demand, particularly in our premium cabins, since the launch 10 years ago.

“By introducing the A380 on the second daily flight, we are able to ensure our flagship product is on all of the Sydney services each week. The upgrade of this service will help fulfil growing demand, benefiting travellers to and from Abu Dhabi, and across Etihad Airways’ global network.”