Here’s an exciting update for those of us who love the Airbus A380…
Etihad continuing to reactivate more Airbus A380s
In early 2020, at the start of the pandemic, Etihad grounded its 10 Airbus A380s, and made it clear that the plan was to retire them permanently, as part of its downsizing effort.
However, times have changed at the airline, as the carrier has returned to profitability, and is once again growing pretty aggressively. In mid-2023, the airline reactivated four Airbus A380s, which many of us were delighted to see.
Initially the plan was for the other six A380s to be retired, but over time, that strategy has changed. We’ve seen the airline bring back these aircraft progressively, and at this point, Etihad has seven A380s in its fleet.
There’s now a final update to this — Etihad plans to bring back a further two A380s. Specifically, the plane with the registration code A6-EPC will return in June 2026, and the plane with the registration code A6-APB will return in January 2027. Meanwhile the final A380, A6-APE, will be parted out.
This means that by early 2027, Etihad will have a fleet of nine A380s in operation. For those curious about how long the planes will be sticking around, CEO Antonoaldo Neves has stated that he wants to keep them around as long as practical, at least through 2032.
Etihad’s A380s fly from the carrier’s hub in Abu Dhabi (AUH), and currently serve London (LHR), Paris (CDG), Singapore (SIN), and Toronto (YYZ). With two more joining the fleet, it’ll be interesting to see where they fly next, especially since Etihad decided to pull the A380 from New York (JFK), suggesting performance there wasn’t great.
Below are a couple of cute videos that Etihad released back in 2023, when the A380s started to be reactivated.
The basics of Etihad’s Airbus A380s
Etihad’s Airbus A380s are some pretty special jets. They’re configured with a total of 485 seats, spread across three(ish) cabins.
The pinnacle of the Airbus A380 is The Residence, Etihad’s three-room suite at the front of first class, with a bedroom, living room, and bathroom. Nowadays this is simply an upgrade option for those who are booked in first class, and pricing is much more reasonable than it was pre-pandemic.
The A380 also has nine incredible First Class Apartments. This is one of the most impressive first class hard products out there, as there’s just a single aisle in the center of the cabin, and one suite on each side. This is a much better first class product than you’ll find on Etihad’s 787s.
There are then 70 business class seats, which are the Etihad Business Studios, the same product you’ll find on the 787. This is a solid business class product, but not as good as Etihad’s A350 business class.
While there’s not a real onboard bar, there is a cute lounge area between first and business class, known as The Lobby, which is a nice place to hang out.
Lastly, there are 405 economy class seats, including 80 with extra legroom. This takes up the entire lower deck, as seats are in a 3-4-3 configuration.
Bottom line
Etihad Airways is continuing to expand its Airbus A380 fleet. In mid-2023, the airline brought back four of these. We’ve seen them brought back one-by-one, and the airline has now confirmed that nine A380s will be reactivated, while the last A380 will be parted out. So expect one more A380 in mid-2026 and one more in early 2027. I’m curious what routes get these planes.
What do you make of Etihad expanding Airbus A380 capacity?
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