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Etihad Airways
- IATA/ICAO Code:
- EY/ETD
- Airline Type:
- Full Service Carrier
- Hub(s):
- Abu Dhabi International Airport
- Year Founded:
- 2003
- CEO:
- Tony Douglas
- Country:
- United Arab Emirates
Etihad Airways has reached an important milestone in the rollout of its Airbus A350 fleet, having operated its first US-bound flights with the type yesterday. The UAE flag carrier will now exclusively operate the European manufacturer's modern widebody on its routes from Abu Dhabi to Chicago O'Hare and New York JFK.
Welcome to New York
Etihad Airways flight EY101 is a daily non-stop service that operates from Abu Dhabi International Airport (AUD) to New York JFK. Etihad has a total monopoly on this route, being the only carrier to directly connect these two intercontinental air hubs. FlightRadar24.com shows that the route previously used the Boeing 787-9.
Data from SeatGuru shows that, at Etihad, this variant of the US manufacturer's 'Dreamliner' family seats either 231 (three-class) or 299 (two-class) passengers, depending on the configuration. However, as of yesterday, the route has received a handy capacity boost, with Etihad having begun deploying the Airbus A350-1000.
According to ch-aviation.com, Etihad has received five of these next-generation twin-aisle aircraft, and it has another 15 on order. They seat 371 passengers across three classes, with Martin Drew, Etihad's Senior VP of Global Sales and Cargo, noting that their introduction has "almost doubled premium capacity on our New York and Chicago routes to 44 seats in the Business cabin."
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Chicago-bound
Yesterday's iteration of flight EY101 was in the air for 12 hours and 47 minutes, leaving Abu Dhabi at 10:57 local time, and touching down in New York at 15:44. However, this was not the first US-bound A350-operated flight that Etihad operated yesterday, as flight EY151 to Chicago O'Hare (ORD) was airborne by 10:30.
This is another example of a monopolized route on which Etihad operates daily flights. Much like New York JFK, the airline had also been serving Chicago with Boeing 787-9s until yesterday. Going forward, these two US destinations will exclusively be served by the A350, which Etihad also deploys to Mumbai and Delhi. Drew welcomed the sustainable aspect of the aircraft's rollout, stating:
"We are proud to bring the Airbus A350 into service in the US. This is an incredible aircraft with highly efficient fuel consumption and CO2 savings, which enables us to support our goals to reduce carbon emissions and deliver an unmatched flight experience for our guests."
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What's it like onboard?
In terms of passenger experience, passengers flying to the US on Etihad's A350s appear to be in good hands. The airline notes that "the aircraft features Etihad's newest cabin interior, which is inspired by Abu Dhabi and is both more efficient and sustainable in design." The carrier has also paid close attention when it comes to onboard lighting, which it has designed in a manner that reduces jetlag.
As far as the aircraft's seating configuration is concerned, the best seats of the 371 onboard are the 44 business studios. Simple Flying had the chance to review this product, which Etihad claims is "comparable to first class on other international airlines," earlier this year. The A350 also features 327 economy class seats, of which 45 boast four inches of extra legroom, and are denoted as 'Economy Space.'
What do you make of Etihad's rollout of the A350 on its New York and Chicago routes? Were you onboard one of the first services yesterday? Let us know your thoughts and experience in the comments!