Etihad Airways announces early arrival of signature A380 service

• New aircraft includes The Residence by Etihad; Picks New York JFK airport for inaugural flight on 23 November

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), last week announced that its award-winning Airbus A380 service, which features the only commercially available three-room suite in the sky: The Residence by Etihad, will begin flying between Abu Dhabi (AUH) and New York’s John F. Kennedy (JFK) International Airport on 23 November.

The updated arrival date and additional capacity for A380 service comes in response to strong demand from Etihad Airways guests who are travelling during the US’s busy Thanksgiving holiday, as well as to attend the 2015 Formula 1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix taking place 27-29 November. The new service was originally scheduled to begin on 1 December and will replace one of the existing Boeing 777 services. 

Etihad President and Chief Executive Officer James Hogan said: “Etihad Airways is committed to reimagining the travel experience to offer the ultimate in luxury, comfort and service for our guests. The overwhelmingly positive response we have received to our A380 service on our Abu Dhabi to London and Sydney routes, as well as for our upcoming launch to New York has exceeded our expectations. With the early introduction of our A380 service into New York, we look forward to further redefining what world-class air travel can be for our guests travelling on Etihad Airways across all classes of service.”

From the moment they begin their journey, guests in The Residence by Etihad enjoy the ultimate in luxury: a chauffeur-driven ride to the airport; up to two guests on board will experience a private three-room suite that includes a living room, a double bedroom, and a separate ensuite shower room. Guests also have access to the Etihad Lifestyle Concierge team, which works closely with the airline’s in-flight, Savoy-trained butlers to deliver highly personalised service both on the ground and in the air, including dining reservations, entertainment bookings, special events, destination information and lifestyle services. The nine First Apartments in First Class are completely private living spaces featuring a reclining lounge chair and an ottoman, which opens up to become a separate 80.5 inch long fully-flat bed.

A total of 70 Business Studios are located on the upper deck of the A380, all offering direct aisle access, a fully flat bed of up to 80.5 inches long, and an increase of 20% in personal space.

The Lobby, a luxurious lounge located between the First Class and Business Class cabins, features two comfortable leather sofas and a staffed bar serving a wide selection of hot snacks and refreshments.

The main deck features 415 Economy Smart Seats, which provide enhanced comfort with a unique ‘fixed wing’ headrest on each seat, adjustable lumbar support, and a seat width of almost 19 inches.

Etihad Airways has introduced the latest Panasonic eX3 entertainment system on its A380 fleet, providing more than 750 hours of on-demand entertainment, improved gaming, and high definition screens across all cabins. The A380 has full mobile and Wi-Fi service, with USB and power points at every seat.

Etihad Airways’ A380 first entered into service between Abu Dhabi and London Heathrow Airport on 27 December 2014 before commencing service between Abu Dhabi and Sydney on 31 May 2015.

Etihad Airways offers 45 weekly return flights from Abu Dhabi to six US cities, including Chicago, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, New York- JFK, San Francisco and Washington, DC. Through Etihad Airways’ hub in Abu Dhabi, the airline provides passengers from the United States direct access to the UAE capital and seamless connections to the Middle East, Africa, Indian Sub-continent and South East Asia. 

Guests flying on all Etihad Airways flights from Abu Dhabi to the airline’s six US ports of entry, including JFK Airport, are processed through the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Preclearance facility available at Abu Dhabi International Airport, which allows them to pass through all US immigration and customs checks in Abu Dhabi and arrive at their US destination as domestic passengers.